


I just need (somewhere to rest my head)

by determinedlove



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alpha Eleven | Jane Hopper, Alpha Jim Hopper, Alpha Nancy Wheeler, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, F/M, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Omega Steve Harrington
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-07
Updated: 2019-04-17
Packaged: 2020-01-06 01:03:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 20,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18377768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/determinedlove/pseuds/determinedlove
Summary: Jim Hopper surrounded himself with his grief and found solace in a can of beer and a bottle of pills. He tried not to think too hard when he keep falling into Steve Harrington's bed, an omega who dropped out of school to help his dad pay the bills.Then Will Byers goes missing and Benny's dead. Solace can't be found so easy in a bottle of pills and beer, but looking into Steve's eyes gives him hope. Hope that he hasn't felt in a long time.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Steve is 19 and I don't want to give to much of his backstory away. But in this alpha/beta/omega world, every child of a beta takes a blood test to find out if they have a chance at becoming an omega or alpha to help the parents be better prepared in case. 
> 
> A beta/beta pairing has a high chance of having a beta child and a low chance for an omega and almost no chance for an alpha. A alpha/alpha pairing has a high chance for an alpha but has an even lower chance than a beta pairing for an omega. A alpha/omega pairing can go either way, although it is rare for such a pairing to have a beta. 
> 
> Please enjoy!

“Hold on,” Steve yelled as he walked to the door, which someone was banging on it. He pulled the door open and was talking as it swung open. “This better be important. I was sleeping,” he raised an eyebrow at Hopper, who gave him an unimpressed look.

 “I thought you were suppose to be working today?” He questioned Steve as the alpha pushed his way into the house.

 Steve rolled his eyes at him as he mumbled sarcastically, “Sure, chief come right on in.”

 “I went by Benny’s looking for you. He said he had given you the day off. Weird considering you left last night saying that you had to work this morning,” Hopper put his hat on the coffee table and turned to face Steve.

 “My mom was suppose to come by,” Steve shrugged at Hopper’s raised eyebrows. “I know. Dumb as shit to believe she would show.”

 The smell of upset omega filled the air as Steve walked closer to stare up at Jim. “So what brings you here? I thought morning were for coffee and contemplation.” Steve finished, fingers making quotation marks in the air as he finished talking.

 Jim smirked and looked away, before sighing when he caught sight of the woods that surrounded the back of Steve’s house. “Where’s your dad?”

 Steve gave him an unimpressed look. “He’s at the shop. Something about someone fucking something up. I doubt that’s why you’re here.”

 “Joyce Byer’s came by to say her son’s missing. I’m going to the school later to talk to his friends, but I know that your dad’s shop is kind of close to his house. I was just wondering if he might have seen him last night.”

 “His shop was closed,” Steve said, slowly closing the distance between them. “Something I’m sure you’re aware of.”

 “I mean you never know,” Hopper shrugged. “Figured I’d come by to make sure while Callahan and Powell are looking at the other leads. I’m just doing by duty as the diligent chief of this fine town.”

 “Right,” Steve snorted as he put a hand on Jim’s arm and smiled coyly. “You as diligent as an alpha?” He tilted his head to show his scent gland.

Jim’s eyes went to and he licked his lips. “Yea, definitely.”

 Steve laughed as he pulled him down the hall.

 

Steve pulled a cigarette out of his drawer and handed it to Hopper, lighting in for him. He leaned against the headboard and looked at Hopper, who was sitting on the edge of the bed.

 “So you really think Will Byer’s is missing?” He asked curiously as he lit his own cigarette and took a drag.

 “No,” Hopper rolled his eyes. “I just think he’s a boy who ran away from home. Probably to Lonnie’s.”

 Steve took another puff and shook his head as he swung his legs so he could see Jim’s face. “He wouldn’t do that.”

 “Okay, now you’re sounding like his mom,” He said as he squinted out the window.

 “Because she’s right,” Steve shrugged at Hopper’s scrutinizing look and stood up, knocking the ashes off into the ash tray. “Look, Lonnie is the last person Will would go to. And I highly doubt, Lonnie would take him.”

 “Why’s that,” Hopper said, eyes raking over Steve’s naked form as he stretched.

 “Because he left when he realized that one of his sons had a chance of presenting. And not as an alpha,” Steve looked at Hopper’s confusion. “People talk in the diner. Lonnie was no different. He was complaining that Will’s blood test came back and unlike, Jonathan, who will definitely be defined as a beta, Will has a small, minuscule chance of being an omega.”

 “Shit,” Hopper, breathed out in surprise. “I didn’t realize that Lonnie had any omega’s in his family.”

 “He doesn’t, neither does Joyce.”

 “So Will’s not his kid?” Hopper asked. “Because if not, that changes how I’m going to look at this.”

 “I didn’t say that,” Steve shook his head. “You didn’t pay much attention to the presenting class, did you.”

 “I used to sleep through it,” Hopper said, bluntly. “My family’s full of alphas and omegas. All the education I needed, I had at home.”

 “Makes sense,” Steve said. “How many betas?”

 Hopper took a drag as he thought. “I’m not sure. Not a lot. Not enough that they had my attention.”

 “Well then,” Steve opened his closet and pulled on a shirt, “you should have paid attention. When a beta couple, whose family is mostly comprised of betas, has a child, their chances of having an omega are high. Not as high as an omega and alpha, but higher than two alpha’s.”

 “Really,” Jim looked lost in thought as he put out his cigarette and started to get dressed.

 “Yup,” Steve shrugged as he started to pull up his jeans. He looked in the mirror and started working on his hair when a thought occurred to Jim.

“Wait,” he put his shirt over his shoulders and walked over to Steve. “How is it you presented as an omega? Didn’t your mom and dad’s family pride themselves on having nothing but male alpha and female alpha pairings?

 Steve put his brush down and faced him. “Yea. When my blood test came back as a pretty much guaranteed omega, he had a DNA test done at the request of his mom. Lonnie is Will’s dad. My dad isn’t.”

 He shrugged at Hopper’s look of bewilderment and starting buttoning his shirt for him, smoothing it out when he was done. “So your mom..”

 “Had multiple affairs, just like he did. She just ended up pregnant, _but_ on to more important things. Will wouldn’t ran away. He’s a really good kid. Who’s dad left two days after his blood test came back. He doesn’t know the results, Joyce made sure of that,” Steve gave Jim a look, “but he’s not stupid.”

 “So he knew?” Hopper said, as Steve led him back through the house.

“He suspected. He also knows more about their financial situation. Not because Joyce or Jonathan tell him, but he notices things. Jonathan’s been helping out a lot more. Even tried to drop out of school, like I did.”

 “Really,” Hopper muttered.

 “Will told me that his mom got mad and it led to a big argument.” He shook his head at Hopper’s look. “It didn’t get physical but I'm just saying; Will knows more than they think. And he wouldn’t hurt his mom by running away.”

 “And you’re sure of that?” Hopper asked as he grabbed his hat from where he had dropped it earlier.

 “He knows their financial situation, Hop,” Steve softly said, returning the light kiss Jim gave him as they stopped in front of the door. “He wouldn’t do something that caused Joyce to take the day off. They can’t afford that.”

____________________________________________________________________________

 When they pulled up to the Byer’s, he was expecting the surprise, which turned into fear then annoyance. He wasn’t expecting the words that came out of Joyce’s mouth when he walked back in from the shed.

 “So while my son’s missing, you’re out having sex with some omega?” She looked at him with rage. “You’re not taking this serious, Hop.” her eyes filled with tears as Jonathan looked at her in surprise.

 “Look, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Jim held his hands up placidly, ignoring the looks Powell and Callahan traded. “We’re going to assembly a search party. Since it doesn’t look like Will made it home, he might have gotten lost in the woods.” 

 “My sense of smell is better than a regular beta’s, Hop.” She shook her head at him as she walked him to the door. “Find my son,” she slammed the door behind him.

 “Not a word,” he grumbled at his deputies, who smirked . “Start working on the search party.”

 “Sure,” Powell said, biting his lips to hid a grin. “I’ll get right on the chief.”

 

Scott Clarke felt like the king of putting his foot in his mouth, you’d think he’d learned his lesson from watching the chief stalk away. But then Steve Harrington passed.  

 “Hey,” He smiled. “Surprised your not working right now.”

 “Well,” Steve shrugged as he continued walking with the flashlight, “having a lot of hands should help right?”

 “Yea,” he nodded and Mary nodded beside him. “So I heard that your dad is planning on opening a shop in Indianapolis soon.”

 Steve nodded and gave a shout for Will. “Oh yea. He’s been trying to expand for awhile. Right now, he's still working out the kinks but he's excited at the prospect.”

 “I bet your mom is too,” Mr. Clarke said, not seeing Mary shake her head. “Must be as excited as the day you graduated high school.”

 Steve fumbled and gave him a glare. “She already watched him do it once. Wasn’t enough to keep her from taking it from him and leaving him broke.”

 He stalked off. Leaving Scott to look at Mary. She shook her head and sighed.

 “His mom left before he even presented,” she nodded as his look of surprise. “Then left him and his dad behind and broke to boot. He ended up dropping out in high school so he could work.”

 “I had no idea. No one’s ever told me. I just assumed he went to a different school after he presented. It happens often enough,” He stared at Steve’s back.

 “Yea,” she sighed. “She even took the house.”

 “That's a big house for one person,” he looked down at the ground, feeling worse.

 “She must have thought so too,” Mary said, starting to walk away. “She sold it as soon as the ink dried on the deed, declaring it hers.”

_____________________________________________________________________________

 “Whoa, whoa. Careful, careful.” Hopper reached out to Callahan as he stepped closer to the edge. “I need you for the next few days, at least.” His hands went to his hips as they looked down at the still waters of the quarry. No one wanted to say what they were thinking.

 “Oh, hell, I could survive that.” Callahan gestured to the drop. Hopper laughed at him. “What? George Burnets made the jump. And he was drunk as a chunk. He did in on a $10 bet.”

 “George is a liar,” Hopper said, looking at Callahan. You make that jump from this height, that water turned into cement. Hits you like a ton of bricks. Break every damn bone in your body.”

 They stared down at the waters again. Callahan shocked his head, “Nah.”

 Hopper looked back at him when Flo’s voice came over the radio. “Chief, you copy?”

 Hopper pulled his radio out of his belt. “Yeah, Flo, talk to me.”

 “Hey, Chief, we got a call from over at Benny’s from Steve Harrington. I think you need to get there right away.”

 

Hopper got out and saw Steve standing by the door, eyes glistening. His head shot up and he walked over to him, Callahan, and Powell. He didn’t say anything but he smelled of distress and fear.

 Powell walked up to Steve and put his arm around his shoulders. “Let’s get you in the car, okay. We’ll have to get your statement.” He spoke softly and make sure to let out calming pheromones. 

 “Put him in my car,” Hopper said, as he and Callahan walked into the diner, grinding his teeth to hold by the growl threatening to come loose at the sight of another alpha comforting Steve. He needed to get it together. Jesus.

 “You must feel like you’re back in the city, Chief,” Callahan said, looking down at the body. “First a missing boy. Now a suicide.”

 “Yeah, well, at least there I didn’t know anyone. Benny was my friend.” He turned and walked out after taking in the scene one last time.

 He got in his car and drove, not saying a word, as his hand came up to rest along Steve’s thigh. He rubbed circles with his thumb as Steve leaned in closer, but not enough for Powell and Callahan, who were following in the patrol car, to notice.

 “It just doesn’t make sense,” Steve whispered. When Hopper took a quick glance, Steve’s eyes were focused on the road. “He didn’t sound off when I talked to him yesterday.”

 “But he did tell you not to come in,” Hopper reminded him gently.

 “Yeah, but that’s what he always does when my mom goes in to the diner and tells him that she wants to see me.” Steve’s voice started to shake.

 “Makes sense. He is…was a bleeding heart.” Hopper gave him a squeeze before pulling his hand away as they pulled up the station.

 They walked into the station and he directed Steve to take a seat and pulled up a chair beside him as Callahan and Powell leaned against a desk.

 “When did you get to the diner?” Powell asked, looking at Steve in sympathy.

 “My dad had told me to go pick up some food before I had to start my shift,” Steve shrugged. “I walked in and there he was. It had to have been about 8.”

 They looked up as Earl walked in, shaking his head. “I went by the diner and someone told me what happened.”

 He sat down with a heavy sigh, pulling out a cigarette. He fumbled with his lighter before giving up and sighing, “Just doesn’t make sense, Chief.”

 Hopper held up a lighter for him and looked at him and Steve. “Either of you, uh, notice anything…odd about him the last few weeks?”

 They both shook their heads. Earl spoke up first. “No, we were fixin’ to go fishing down the Etowah next Sunday.I mean, he was lookin’ forward to it. I know that.”

 “He got any enemies you might know about? I mean, people who might not want him around?”

 “No,” Steve spoke up. “I mean his trail of exes weren’t banging down his doors give him a second change but other than that.” He shrugged helplessly.

 “When was the last time you saw him?” Hopper asked Earl.

 “Yesterday. Lunch, same as always,” Earl said. “We were giving him shit for letting Steve have the day off. Like we usually do.”

 “Just you and the boys?”

 “Yep. Me and Henry and…there was this kid. No kid did this though.” Earl took a drag and looked at Steve. “We told him it was a sign that he should call you back in. A kid’s chances of talking are better with an omega.”

 “A kid?” Hopper said, looking at him thoughtfully. “What are you talking about?”

 “Yeah. At lunch. There was this boy that. Well, he was try8ing to steal food out of Benny’s kitchen. Can you imagine that?” 

 “This kid, what did he look like?”

 Hopper gave Steve a quick jerk of his head and he got up and walked towards the front with Callahan.

 “Well he was about yea high. You know tiny like. I didn’t get a good look at him, though. He was back in the kitchen.”

 Callahan came back with the missing poster of Will Byers, “He look like this?”

 Earl shook his head. “No, kid had a buzzcut. But well, he was the right height. Could’ve been if not for the hair.”

 Hopper nodded as he traded looks with Callahan. Maybe they had been looking in the wrong direction this whole time.

________________________________________________________________

“You ever feel cursed,” Hopper said, taking a long drag from his cigarette as Steve came out in a pair his sweats and shirt. “You know, the last person to go missing here was in, uh…the summer of ’23. The last suicide was the fall of ’61.”

 “Yea,” Steve said softly, taking the cigarette from Hopper and took a puff. He passed it back and breathed out. “When I turned 13, I presented. Traumatic event,” Steve said at Hopper’s look of incredulity. “My dad had forgone the blood test because he said there was no need. Imagine his surprise when I started emitting the smell of an omega..”

 “Holy shit,” Hopper muttered as he took a long swig of his beer. Steve nodded in agreement. “So when your mom decided to leave and take everything..”

 “She left my dad and I stranded at the omega clinic,” Steve laughed. “After the fever went and the doctor gave us the suppressants, we were about to leave when he got a call from his lawyer. She drained the bank account, savings account, _and_ told his business partner, who she was having an affair with, to kick him out of the company. Hostile takeover done by his own mate.”

 “Damn,” Hopper shook his head as he took another drag.

 “Yea, the doctor felt bad for us. He paid for them until I turned 16. I didn’t even see her until the custody case, which really wasn’t even about me. Just about that damn house. ” Steve shrugged to himself. “I don’t even understand why she wanted that stupid house.”

 “Didn’t she sell it? Right after the case was closed?” At Steve nod, Hopper glared. “I just don’t get that. How can you just leave your child with nothing? And then to sale the very thing you were so insistent on getting? Doesn’t make any damn sense.”

 “You wouldn’t understand,” Steve turned and faced him. “I don’t even understand. She just never took to being a mother, I guess.”

 Hopper chuckled without humor. “I remember Diane wouldn’t even let her own mother hold Sara for the longest time after she had her. We would’ve done anything to… It just makes me mad.”

 “Because you were, and still are, a good dad,” Steve said. He put his hand on his arm. “You don’t stop being a dad because you’ve lost your child, Hop. You’ll always be her dad just like she’ll always be your daughter.”

 Hopper nodded, throat tight as he took in Steve’s earnest eyes and looked away. “And you can’t help that your mom is a massive bitch.”

 Steve let out a bark of surprised laughter. “I know. My dad tries. He tried a helluva lot harder after she left. He’s just a dick. That’s how he’s been since he was in school I heard. I feel like it’s ingrained in him,” he took in Hoppers chuckles and grinned softly. “I’m serious, Hop. The dude was just born like that.”

 And this is what Jim appreciated about Steve. He would notice that Hopper was fumbling through something and wouldn’t push him. He didn’t care that sometimes Hopper would go days before calling him (Those were the days when he was in a haze of pills and booze. When he could still see Sara slowly slipping away). He didn’t ask about the fridge that only contained beer and minimal food and the pills littered throughout the house. No looks of pity just sympathy and a warm smile.

 “Yea well, you weren’t.” Hopper said, putting an arm around Steve’s shoulder and pulled him closer.

 “Nope, I had good people around me to balance it out. Like Harry before he retired, and Benny.” Steve finished in a whisper. “He helped me study of my GED. He told me that he understood,” Steve mumbled into Hopper’s shoulder as he pressed closer. The scent of an upset omega filling the air. “But that I could still do something with my life.”

 “He was a good man,” Hopper’s arm tightened around Steve.

 “Yea,” Steve said thoughtfully, “unless you were dating him.”

 Hopper felt his laughter bubble up and Steve joined him. “Do you remember when he decided to date those sisters from out of town. At the same time?”

 Steve continued to laugh as he said, “Of course I do. We even had a signal for when one would pull up. One time, he was in the back with the older one when the younger one pulled up. I had to stand there and talk to her for an hour.”

 Jim shook his head as his laughter slowly died away. “God, he was something.”

 “Yea,” Steve grinned. “He was. You want another one?” He nodded toward the empty beer.

 He nodded but pulled Steve back to him by the waist when he went to walk to the fridge. Steve raised an eyebrow. “I know we don’t talk about this,” he gestured between them, “and that’s on me. But I…I remember what I said a few weeks back..and I meant it. You’re the only one, Steve.” 

 Steve gave him a soft smile. “I know, Hop.” He leaned up and kissed him gently, wrapping his arms around his neck. “Same here.” Steve smiled as he walked inside.

 “You can even get one for yourself.” Jim said, grinning as he heard him laugh.

 “It’ll be a secret,” Steve winked over his shoulder.

Jim raised an eyebrow as Steve came back outside with the drinks and a blanket wrapped around him. “So the day before, you lied about the blood test, right?" At his nod, he continued. "But alpha pairings  _can_ have an omega. What made him get a DNA test?

 “Oh,” Steve started to chuckle as he popped the tab and took a big drink. “That’s the best part. The only reason she ran. She knew that they would end up doing a genetic screening to check for any anomalies and would need my dad's blood. Only he wasn't my dad. My grandmother, my dad's mom, was over the moon to have an omega in the family. Everyone was actually."

“So they don’t have a problem with omegas?”

 “No, but they do have a problem with the fact that I'm the product of affair between my mom and his family's biggest business rival. He even tried to take my dad to court, but because I presented early, my dad could decline them taking my blood." 

 “Holy shit,” Hopper pulled Steve closer to him and leaned in closer to him. “How’d you turn out so damn good?”

 “I honestly have no idea.” Steve grabbed Hopper by the back of his neck as he leaned up and sealed the distance.

____________________________________________________________________________

 “So,” Steve looked at Hopper wide-eyed. “Let me see if I understand this. You went to the morgue and _opened up Will Byer’s body_ to make sure it was real?” Steve trailed off questioningly.

 At Hopper’s nod, he looked at him expectantly. “So was it?”

 “No,” Hopper said. “I don’t know what I stumbled on but I wanted you to know that I’m going to Hawkin’s Lab. If I don’t come back…”

 “I’m sorry. If you _don’t_ come back?” Steve looked at him, the danger he was putting himself in finally sinking in.

 “If I don’t come back,” Hopper looked around suspiciously at the forest surrounding Steve’s backyard, “you need to tell Joyce that she was right.”

 “About?” Steve gazed up at him from his backdoor, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth.

 “About Will’s body.” Hopper said. “Promise me, Steve. Promise me you’ll go to her and tell her she’s right.”

 “Okay,” Steve nodded in acquiesce. He kissed Hopper on the cheek and watched him stalk away. A man on a mission. Steve could only hope it didn’t get him killed. Stupid alpha made it so hard to stay mad at him.

 

 The next morning, Steve found himself in the Byer’s front yard, taking in the hole with trepidation. He was really beginning to regret starting this thing with the chief. How the fuck did it make sense that he was the one to tell a most defiantly grieving, hysterical mother, that is was right. That she wasn’t going fucking crazy.

 “Well here goes nothing,” he said under his breath. Sure Hopper hadn’t given him a timeline on how long to wait, but it wasn’t really fair to Joyce to leave her hanging in the wind. He couldn’t even imagine the torture she was going through. And if he was in her shoes, and someone had information that showed he wasn’t going crazy. Well he’d want to know.

 He knocked on the door as he looked around feeling paranoid. What if they, whoever they were, had eyes on the house? Hopefully they thought the ruse had worked and Hopper didn’t tell anyone about it before he stormed their castle.

 He startled as Joyce opened the door yellling about murdering someone. He held up his hands placidity and looked at the hammer in her hands in alarm.

“Steve,” she said questioningly, putting the hammer down sheepishly. “What are you doing here?”

 “Uh,” he really should have through about this more. “Um, Hopper told me to come by-“

 They turned around as they hear than saw Hopper’s car coming towards them. They watched him jump out and run to the front down. He help up a sign that said not to say anything.Steve took in his scent of distress and choked back the whine that came up.

 Hopper brushed past them and walked inside, ignoring Joyce’s confusion. Joyce and Steve shared a look as they followed him in and saw him staring up at the Christmas lights in horror.

 “Oh, Jesus.” Then he started to methodically go through the house, unscrewing every light in the house as Steve and Joyce stood in confused silence.

 Hopper panted as he sat down after unscrewing the last of the Christmas lights. “Okay,” he said sitting down with a big sigh. “Should be okay, I mean I can’t guarantee it, but it should be okay.”

 “What the hell is going on, Hopper?” Joyce looked at him pleadingly.

 

“They bugged my place.” He looked at Steve standing behind Joyce. “It’s because I’m on to them and they know it. I went and I saw something. I honestly don’t know what I even was even looking at.”

 “Who,” Joyce looked at Steve for clarification. He just shrugged and took in Hopper’s fear, biting his lip worriedly.

 “I thought they might be watching you, too.” He looked past them unseeingly. He looked at Steve in fear. “I don’t think they know I told you, but I can’t be too sure. I don’t know, the CIA, the NSA, Department of Energy..I don’t know.”

 “Okay,” Joyce said, looking distraught. “You gotta explain this to me, ‘cause I’m not-”

 “I went to the morgue last night, Joyce,” He looked straight at her.

 “What? Why?” Joyce shook her head in denial.

 “It wasn’t him. Will’s body was fake. I told Steve to tell you if I didn’t make it back.” He knelt down as she sunk to her knees infant of him. “You were right. The whole time, you were right.”

 She stared at Hopper with relief and started to smile as tears filled her eyes. She got up and walked into the kitchen with her hand on her chest.

 Steve went to stand by Hopper and looked down at him in worry. “You okay?”

 “No,” Hopper whispered, looking at Joyce’s back. “I didn’t believe her. I let my own experience cloud my perception. I use to be better than that.”

 “You couldn’t have known, Jim.” Steve cradled his head in his hands and rubbed his thumb against his cheek. He stepped away as Joyce came back in the room, a look of determination on her face.

 “Tell me everything, Hopper.”

 He nodded and went to his truck and came back in the newspaper clippings. They gathered around the kitchen table and Hopper explained everything that he had seen. Steve and Joyce were staring at him slack jawed and both lit up a cigarette.

 “Look we got to go over everything again.” Joyce nervously puffed on her cigarette as Steve looked lost in thought after he finished.

 “I told you everything I saw.” Hopper took a long drag and looked at Steve curiously. He had been suspiciously silent.

 “Tell me again.”

 Hopper sighed, “Upstairs or downstairs?”

 “Upstairs.”

 “There was a laboratory. Probably for experiments.” Hopper glanced over at Steve, who’s scent started reeking of apprehension so strong he wasn’t surprised when Joyce gave Steve a worried look as well. “Then there was a kid’s room.”

 “Okay but how do you know it was a kid’s room?”

 “More like a prison,” Hop’s hand came up to rest on his forehead.

 “Then why’d you think it was a kid’s room?” Joyce asked insistently.

 Irritation creeped into Hopper’s voice. “Because, I told you, the size of the bed, there was a drawing, there was a stuffed animal-”

 “Drawing,” Steve piped up. “You didn’t mention a drawing.”

 “Yeah, I did.”

 Joyce shook her head, “You didn’t mention that earlier. What kind of drawing was it? Was it good?”

 “It was a kid’s drawing, Joyce. It was stick figures. Pretty normal of a kid,” Hopper shook his head.

 “But not for Will,” Steve said softly as Joyce jumped out of her seat to get a drawing.

 “It wasn’t Will.” She pointed to his drawing proudly.

 He looked down at the drawing and stared at it. He remembered the articles that mentioned a Terry Ives and stubbed out his cigarette and got up, Joyce and Steve right on his heels. Joyce sat down next to him.

 “What if I’ve been chasing around leads for the wrong child?” He looked at them and back down. “What if Terry Ives was telling the truth? I pressed Earl and he admitted that it could have been Will. But what if it wasn’t?”

 Joyce and Hopper continued to look down at the articles in wonder as Steve stared at the wall behind them.

 “When I was in the diner,” Steve’s voice broke through the silence and both of their heads snapped up to look at him, “I could smell a faint, very faint, scent of an alpha in distress. I thought it was Earl, but…you said there was a room for experiments?”

 “Yea,” Hopper looked at him intently.

 “Well, if they’ve had this girl since she was a baby that’s plenty of time to force her to present. They might not have even meant too.”

 “Wait, you can’t force someone to present,” Joyce stared at Steve in confusion.

 “No, but you can present early.” Steve corrected. “Enough trauma can cause the alpha, omega, or beta genes to activate early. And the article’s say Terry Ives is a beta, but what if that’s a lie?”

 “Why would that be a lie?” Hopper said, impatiently.

 “She was suing the government, which meant she probably pissed off a lot of people. A beta saying their child got taken from them would cause a stir. But an omega..” Steve trailed off.

 “An omega would ensure that no one stopped looking into it,” Joyce finished. Steve nodded and crossed his arms as he sat down on the recliner.

 “Exactly,” Steve said as he worried his lip.

 “What aren’t you saying?” Hopper looked at him forcefully, keeping the growl at bay. “You only do that when you’re holding something back.”

 Steve looked away from him and then back at the articles. He sighed and leaned back in his seat and stared at the wall. “We almost didn’t take the suppressants when the doctor in Indianapolis gave them to us.”

 “Wait, you aren’t on suppressants.” Joyce said, focusing all her attention on him. “You were never on suppressants. I remember how scandalized old man Johnson was.”

 Steve nodded slowly and breathed deep. “I was on suppressants until I turned 16 to make it look like I presented along with everyone else. When we were going to leave without them but then the doctor took my dad aside.”

 Joyce and Hopper leaned in as he continued. “He didn’t close the door all the way. He said we’d be making a mistake because of where we lived. He implied that it wouldn’t be safe for me in Hawkins without them. He also understood that with my mom taking off, my dad didn’t have the money to start over. I lied.” Steve turned his gaze to Hopper.

 “About what?” Hopper asked softly, both ignoring the way Joyce looked between the two of them.

 “He didn’t pay for them because he felt sorry for me. They were a special type of suppressant that only the omegas in the military get.”

 Hopper tilted his head at Steve. “You mean, the kind that can even fool a blood test?”

 “I’m sorry, what?” Joyce looked at Steve in confusion. “I don’t understand.”

 Hopper answered for him as he gazed at Steve. “There are these pills omega’s would take. Worked exactly like suppressants but it also would fool any blood test. If an enemy caught an omega, not only could they not smell them, but they also wouldn’t be able to tell from a blood sample. They'd think they were a beta, who had almost no scent.”

 Steve nodded and looked down, hands going to mess with the string on his shirt. “It’s why I can’t take regular suppressants. It would be have been too suspicious for me to stay on those, but regular suppressants aren’t strong enough now. And I’m pretty sure I know why he was so insistent on it.”

 Hopper motioned with his hand impatiently then immediately wished he hadn’t. Steve’s scent went from apprehension to straight fear causing the alpha in him to want to reach out and comfort as Steve started talking again.

 “I was 17 and these guys came in the diner. I didn’t recognize them but they said they were from out of town. They seemed normal but then they asked questions about how and when I presented. When I wouldn’t answer…..one of them tried to use their alpha voice on me,” Steve cut off abruptly when Hopper’s loud growl came.

 “What the hell,” Joyce muttered. “You're not suppose to use an alpha voice on anyone but your mate. Why the hell did they care about when you presented.

“I don’t know,” Steve shrugged. “They left a card on the table after Benny made them leave. They said that if I was ever interested in making money to call them. Benny thought it was a proposition. Wouldn’t have been the first I got from out-of-towners but then I was curious, ya know.” When Hopper snarled and his pheromones started pouring out rapidly Steve hastily corrected his assumptions.

 “Not because of that. It didn’t sound like a proposition and it made me think of that doctor. So I called the number on the care and figured they were full of shit and just trying to get some naive omega to come with them.”

 “What was the number,” Hopper asked through clenched teeth as his hands tightened on his knees was hard, they were white.

 “Hawkins Department of Energy.” Steve got out before Hopper jumped from his seat and stalked outside, leaving his scent of anger in the air.

 “We need to find Will,” Joyce said seriously. “Before they do.”

 “Yup,” Steve nodded in agreement, trying to not feel awkward around her. 

 “So,” she looked at him contemplatively. “I assume you’re the omega Hopper went by to see before coming over here the first day Will was missing?” She raised an eyebrow as Steve’s face turned bright red and he started to sputter out a denial, hiding a grin behind her fist.


	2. Chapter 2

Joyce looked out window as the awkward silence continued to ebb and flow through her car. She hoped they got there before….

 “I just don’t get why you lied to me.” Hopper blurted out as he glanced at Steve as Joyce looked between them. “I mean, I would have believed you.”

 Before that..

 Steve rolled his eyes and tried to rein in his annoyance. “It’s the lie I was told. It just came out.”

 “Really,” Hopper rolled his eyes pointedly. “It just came out. You could have corrected it. Said my bad, I shouldn’t have lied. But no.” He waved his hands. “Typical.”

 “I’m sorry. What the hell does that mean?” Steve glared and turned to face him.

 “Nothing. Nothing at all. Just that when I finally let someone in, it turns out they _lied_ to me about something that is really damn important.” Hopper continued, voice raising as he talked over Joyce, who was trying to get them to calm down. “And it could have helped my investigation. Did you ever think of that?”

 “Oohhh,” Steve’s glared turned glacier. “You really wanna go there with me?”

 “Go where exactly, Steve? Come on, you can say it!” Hopper’s voice got louder as they got closer to Terry Ive’s address.

 "The librarian,” Steve hissed out and turned to stare out the window as the house came in view. He looked at Hopper’s reflection and snorted at his wide-eyes and Joyce looked between them rapidly. “Yeah. At least my lie was about my safety. Yours was just to make sure you could keep getting your dick wet, while banging the town’s librarian on the side.”

 Joyce choked in shock as Hopper slowed down to a stop. “It was…why didn’t you say something?”

 "You didn’t what?” Steve whispered lowly as he started to unbuckle his seat belt. “And I didn’t say something because I found out yesterday. Then you came over to tell me about Will, who’s more important than my bruised ego.”

 Joyce couldn’t help but purse her lips and tried not to look at Hopper, who was giving out a distressed alpha smell. She watched Steve slam the car door as he walked up to the house and followed after him. She took a glance at Hopper, who looked stunned. Well….the ride back was going to be way worse.

 

 They piled back into the car, Steve pointedly taking the backseat. Joyce slumped in her seat and put her heads on her head, trying to stop the tears and doubts.

 Steve leaned forward and put his hand on her shoulder, releasing a calming scent. “Everything’s going to be okay Joyce. We’ll find Will.”

 “Like Terry Ive’s found her daughter?” She said, picking her head up and looking at him.

“We’re close,” Hopper said.

 “Twelve years though,” Joyce whispered, fear plain. “Twelve years, she’s been looking for her.”

 “And then she showed up at Benny’s five nights. We have a chance Joyce,” Hopper looked her pleadingly. “You know what I would give? For a chance? You know what I would give?”

 Silence filled the car at Hopper’s question while Joyce looked down at the ground. Until of course, Hopper’s radio came on. Jonathan Byers had gotten into a fight with Tommy H.

 “Jesus Christ,” Hopper mumbled, still raw from his admission and started to drive.

 “I bet,” Steve spoke up after a while, “that they were trying to make super-powered alphas. They stuck gold once or maybe more,” he shrugged, “and now they’re struggling to cover their asses.”

 “A girl, who’s death they faked 12 years ago, has somehow gotten away and there’s a missing boy, with a mother, who’s not going to give up. Not the kind of thing they want to get out, especially if people find out they had something to do with Will's disappearance and he has a slight chance to present as an omega.”

 “Will told you?” Joyce turned around to face Steve. "I didn't even know he knew."

 "He heard you two arguing the day before Lonnie left. He heard it implied. He came into the dinner saying it was his fault his dad took off.” Joyce looked down and closer her eyes. “I told him it wasn’t his fault. Just like it wasn’t my fault my mom left.”

 “Did he believe you?” Joyce asked.

 “He did. After a while.” Steve gave her a small smile. “He’s a smart kid, Joyce.”

 She smiled, teary eyed and looked ahead.

 “I’m sorry,” Hopper murmured, looking at Steve in the rear view mirror.

 "Not a good time, Jim,” Steve looked at him dead in the eye. “Bigger things to worry about.”

 “No, it’s not,” Joyce nodded in agreement then she sighed as she lit her cigarette. “But we do have an hours drive.”

 “There’s nothing to say,” Steve said as he laid his head back and shut his eyes. Hopper thought back to his call with Diana and wished he could find the courage to tell him what he had told her.

  _“Hello,” Jim closed his eyes as Diana’s voice came over the line._

  _“Hey,” he whispered, the silence that followed making him wish he hadn’t called._

  _“Jim?”_

  _“Yeah,” he heard her sigh and could picture the look she had on her face._

  _“Why are you calling me here? I told you not to call me.”_

  _“I know, I know.. I just wanted to…I just want to hear your voice and, uh….I just wanted to say that, um…even after everything that happened, I don’t…I don’t regret any of it. And those seven years, they were…everything to me. But I think I might have found someone who could become everything to me too and I just…I don’t want to fuck it up but I think I might have already. And I thought telling you would help. It seems kinda stupid in retrospect but..I just..”_

  _“Have you been drinking?”_

  _“No..” Hopper heard her son start crying and he closed his eyes against the wave of pain._

  _“You know what actually, I have been drinking, I’m sorry.”_

  _“Jim. Hopper, wait.” The only thing that stopped him from hanging up was the desperation in her voice. “You deserve to be happy, Jim. And if you’ve found someone, fight for them. Tell them what you told me.” She paused. “Sarah would want you to be happy.”_

 “I was drunk,” Hopper said out of nowhere causing Steve to pick his head up and Joyce to look at him warily. “I was at the bar and she came over. And I got scared because I remembered what I told you and did something stupid. It didn’t mean anything, Steve. I just…I can’t explain why I didn’t tell you about it the night before last. I don’t have a good reason. I don’t have a bad one. I just..I’m sorry. But I meant what I said that night. I meant every word.”

 Silence filled the car again as Joyce turned her head to look out the window, trying to give them the allusion of privacy.

 “Except the part where you _said_ it was just going to be me and no one else anymore.” Steve said, anger filling the car causing Joyce to roll down the window. Holy shit, she forgot just how strong omega pheromones could be. Jesus, he had a strong presence she thought to herself. 

 “And then continued that stupid lie _two weeks after you fucked the town’s librarian,_ ” Steve’s voice raised in volume as his scent changed between anger and sadness. “I never even asked you to _not_ sleep with anyone else, Jim. Just like I don’t bug you or have a fit when you don’t call me for a week and generally ignore my existence. I’ve never asked for more than what you can give, so I don’t know why the hell you offered something you couldn’t.”

 Steve closed his eyes again as anger gave way to something wary and broken.

 Hopper closed his eyes briefly and pulled the car to the side of the road. “I swear, Joyce, I will make this as quick as possible and then we’ll go straight to the station.”

 She nodded and looked out at the forest surrounding the road warily.

 He got out and walked around to Steve’s door. He opened his door, kneeled down in front of Steve, and waited until he turned to face him.

 Steve pursed his lips and raised his eyebrow at him. “I’m sorry.” He grabbed Steve’s chin when he turned to look away. “I’m so sorry. I know I messed up. I fucked up on purpose because I got scared, Steve. Just like when I…when I ignore you. I realize how much I start to depend on your presence and how much I enjoy your company, even when we don’t have sex and I get scared.”

 Steve’s hand went up to cup the hand on his face and he smiled sadly, “Then communicate that to me. You have plenty of reasons to be. I’m not trying to push you to something you’re not ready for. I can handle you being scared. Not you deliberately hurting me or saying things you don’t mean.”

 Hopper nodded and raised up to rest his forehead on Steve’s. “I will. I promise. No more lies or half truths. I’m a dick.”

 Joyce snorted from the front seat and Steve started giggling. “Hold on. Hold on. Oh my god. Please tell me Marissa told you that.” At Hoppers look, Steve busted out laughing. “Oh, she did. That is golden.” Steve pulled his legs in the car as Hopper closed the door and walked to the front.

 He started the car and shook his head as Joyce’s laughter joined Steve’s.

_________________________________________________________________________

 Flo raised her eyebrow as Joyce and Hopper stormed into the station with Steve Harrington trailing behind them. Joyce raced toward towards Jonathan, who was handcuffed while Nancy stared at them awkwardly.

 “Why is my boy wearing handcuffs?” Joyce spat out at Callahan.

 “Well, your boy assaulted a police officer. That’s why,” Callahan said, staring her down.

 “Take them off,” Joyce demanded as Steve came to stand by her side and Jim stood off to the other.

 “I am afraid I can't do that.” Callahan said slowly, aware of the danger he was in.

“Take them off!” She shouted pointing at the handcuffs as Steve glared at him. 

 Hopper growled and glared at Callahan. “Your heard her. Take them off.”

 Powell appeared and  shook his head, ignoring the scent of an alpha establishing his dominance. “Chief, I get everyone’s emotional here, but there’s something you need to see.”

 He took Hopper out to Jonathan’s car and stared down at the array of weapons. He threw it down on the desk, Joyce and Steve bending over and looking at it. Steve took a step back and inched away as Joyce started going through it.

 “What is all this?” She asked, looking at Hopper and his deputies in confusion.

 “What don’t you ask your son? We found it in his car.” Hopper said, staring Jonathan down.

 “Why are you going through my car?” Jonathan said, frustrated. “And why is he here,” he pointed at Steve, who tried to look as nonchalant as possible.

 “Is that really the questions you should be asking right now,” Hopper said leaning over the table. “I wanna see you in my office.”

 “You won’t believe me.”

 Hopper leaned in closer and say softly, “Why don’t you give me a try?”

 He told Callahan to get the cuffs off of him then walked towards his office, motioning for Steve to follow him. Joyce, Jonathan, and Nancy Wheeler walked in a moment later. Hopper leaned against the desk with Steve standing by his side and waved a hand for them to sit down.

He listened patiently as they explained how Barbara Holland had gone missing from a party down by the quarry, which Jonathan had taken picture of, while searching for his brother. Nancy had fell into a tree while they were out trying to hunt the monster down and they were going to go after it again. Jim stared at the monster who was right behind Barbara and passed it to Steve, who looked down at it in shock. He passed it to Joyce, who put her hand over her mouth and just stared. 

 “Holy shit,” Steve whispered, shaking his head. “So it’s not just people they’re interested in.”

 “I’m sorry,” Jonathan said, looking at him in frustration. “Should he really be here? Like, I don’t mean to be rude, but what actually is your purpose in this room?”

 Steve looked at him calmly as Hopper let out a growl. “I don’t think that’s any of your business, kid.”

 “Oh,” Jonathan nodded his head as his eyes narrowed. “So even the chief isn’t immune to the whore of Hawkins charm. Instead of focusing on my brother you’ve been fucking him?” Jonathan shouted the last part and stood up furiously, causing Nancy to look at him in shock and Hopper to take a step forward. You would have thought he was the alpha between him and Nancy with the way he postured towards Hopper.

 “Hey,” Joyce yelled over Hopper, “I don’t know what’s gotten into you but you don’t talk to people like that.”

 “It’s true,” Jonathan yelled back. “Typical alpha, only thinking with his fucking knot.”

 “You are pushing it, kid,” Hopper said, biting back a snarl.

 “Kid?” Jonathan raised an eyebrow. “He’s not the much older than me. What would the town people think knowing that the chief’s omega is only nineteen?”

 Steve cleared his throat and put himself between Hopper and Jonathan, as he released a calming scent as Nancy started to stand up. “Okay. So this right here is counter productive,” he pointed between them. “We need to focus on the issues at hand. So, lets to that. And for your information, I’m not his omega.” 

 Joyce led Jonathan out into the hall as Nancy took in the look Hopper was giving Steve and tried to make herself smaller as his pheromones started tumbling out. “I’m sorry, you’re _not_ my omega?”

 “No,” Steve said, “I’m not.”

 “You said in the car-”

 “I said that you needed to talk to me before you said something you didn’t mean. I never said that I forgive you,” Steve said, not reacting to the posturing Hopper was doing. He just crossed his arms and looked back at him calmly.

 Nancy had to give him props. The outward calm would work if it wasn’t for the scent of hurt radiating off of him. The chief seemed to smell it too and he looked down at the floor contrite.

 They all turned as shouting was heard from the front and Hopper threw open the door. “This isn’t over,” he directed toward Steve. “All of you stay here.”

 Joyce and Jonathan walked back in and he ran to sit by Nancy. He glanced at Steve and mumbled. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

 Steve shrugged. “I’m not going to say it was okay, because it wasn’t. But it’s not the worst I’ve been called.”

“So,” Joyce sat down and looked up at Steve. “You’re _not_ his omega?” She hummed as Steve shook his head in affirmative. “Good. Make him work for it.”

 Jonathan and Nancy looked at her wide-eyed as Steve smiled and laughed. “Oh, I plan to.”

 Hopper burst into the room and looked at Nancy. “Is your brother home?”

 “I…I don’t know. Why?” She stood up from the couch and crossed her arms.

 “Come on. Let’s go.” He walked out of the room causing them to look at each other before running to follow him. Steve and Joyce took the front seats while Nancy and Jonathan climbed in the back.

 Steve looked down at the hand Hopper put on his thigh and rolled his eyes. Joyce just hid her grin. Hopper abruptly stopped the car when they caught sight of the cars lining the Wheeler's street.

 “Holy shit,” Steve breathed. “Those are not standard.”

 Hopper grabbed a pair of binoculars and opened the door, stepping out just enough so he could see. What the hell? He grabbed Nancy before she could start walking to the house.

 “Yeah, no.”

 

“Let go,” Nancy said through gritted teeth and growled at him, releasing her pheromones for the first time since she had present as an alpha. “That’s my family down there.”

 “And if they know you’re involved it will be worse,” Steve said, leaning his head out of the car. “You’re an alpha Nancy. You really want them to know you’re involved right now?”

 “Besides,” Hopper pointed to the sky, where a chopper was circling, “they haven’t found him yet.”

 “All of this for Mike,” Nancy said in disbelief as she sat down in the car. Hopper followed her and looked at the house.

 “Not just for Mike,” Steve narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. “They want the girl back and your brother is their best bet right now. It might be a good thing that they’re at your house.”

 “How is that a good thing?” Nancy asked incredulously as she crossed her arms again.

 “Because if your brother presents like his blood test showed, he can’t just go missing. They’d be a suspect.” Steve said, eyes focused in front of him and he ignored the gasps and sharp intakes of breath. “So where would he go?”

 “I don't know,” Nancy muttered, taking a deep breath. “We aren’t close anymore.”

 “I might know,” Jonathan piped up before hunching into himself when everyone gave him their full attention. “I mean I don’t know where to find them but I know how I can find out.”

 Hopper started the car, reserved and started to drive away. “Where to?”

 “Our house,” Jonathan said as Hopper sped off.

 

They ran into the Bryer’s house, Nancy staring at the Christmas lights throughout the house as she walked in. Jonathan held up the radio with triumph and handed it to Nancy. They gathered around as Jonathan took a seat beside her as Joyce, Hopper and Steve stood up. Joyce bit at her nail nervously when there was no answer.

 “Are we sure they have one with them,” Steve asked, taking in the mumbled no’s and nodded. He looked at Joyce and put an arm around her. She gave him a slight smile and continued to stare at the radio, silently praying for an answer.

 When they finally answered, Hopper immediately it took it from her, ignoring her indigent, ‘hey’. Steve gripped Joyce tighter as her arm went around him. She didn’t deserve this. She tried so damn hard to give her sons everything, especially after Lonnie left. It wasn’t fucking fair.

 Relief was palpable as the boys told them where to find them and Hopper took off, stopping Nancy from coming with him. Jonathan and Joyce followed and went into the kitchen. Joyce nodding when Steve asked if he could make some coffee.

 Steve raised an eyebrow as Nancy sat down by Jonathan with a huff. “I don’t know how you put up with him.”

 Steve shrugged and stared at the pot, willing it to fill up faster. “I don’t know either.”

 “So, you two are..” Jonathan looked at him questioningly.

 “I don’t know,” he shrugged as he poured himself and Joyce a cup and sat down. At Nancy and Jonathan’s raised eyebrows, he snorted. “Get it yourselves. I’m not at work right now.”

 “What’s going to happen to the diner now?” Joyce asked as she took a sip. “Because I have to tell you, I loved going into the diner when you were working. You make the best coffee.”

 Steve messed with the rim of his cup and bit his lip. “I don’t know. I haven’t really thought about it. The family’s trying to figure out what they want to do. You know none of them stayed in Hawkins but Benny. None of them want to come back last I heard.”

 Joyce sighed and gave Steve a look of sympathy. “That sucks, sweetie. Can I ask you something? I need to…focus on something else right now.”

 “Sure,” Steve said, deliberately ignoring Jonathan’s apprehensive look.

 “How did you find out about Marissa?” She asked, looking down at the spike in his scent. Nancy and Jonathan traded looks as Joyce just stared at her mug as she waited for Steve's response.

 Steve breathed out and grabbed a cigarette from his pack and offered on to her. He lit it and took deep, long drag. “She did. I was at my dad’s shop and she came in. She said something like, ‘Well now I know why he didn’t call me again.’ When I asked what the hell she was talking about she told me.”

 He shrugged as he gulped down the rest of his coffee. “Her car wasn’t even in the shop. She said that she had heard Powell asking him about me and her. Wanted to let me know that Hopper wasn’t faithful.”

 “So she went looking for you,” Joyce said in disbelief, as they both ignored Jonathan and Nancy’s looks of shock.

 “Apparently. My dad threw her out when she started to really get going.”

 “Did you say anything back?” Joyce leaned in as Jonathan gave her a look. His mom was usually not the gossiping type.

 “Yup. Told her she couldn’t have been that good since he went back to my bed the night after,” he said, hiding a grin. Joyce started to giggle as Jonathan and Nancy laughed in shock.

 “Oh my god,” Joyce said, between chuckles.

 “Yeah,” Steve said, “Dad told me to go home after that. Told me that I shouldn’t start fights over an alpha that wasn’t worth my time.”

 “Yea.” Joyce said, staring at him intently. “But you don’t feel that way.”

 “No,” Steve said softly as they heard the rumbling of the truck. “He’s definitely worth my time. Sometimes I think I’m the one not worth his time.”

 Joyce scoffed as the door opened and the pile of kids tumbled in, all talking over each other at a rapid pace. “No, honey. Trust me. You are.”

 She patted him on the shoulder and got up and gave Mike a hug when he started to apologize for not telling her about Will.

 “I’m so sorry. I just didn’t think you’d believe me. I’m so sorry,” he said into her shoulder. He looked around the room as he pulled back and looked at Nancy in surprise.When he noticed Steve he ran to him and threw his arms around him. “Oh thank god. I can't believe you’re here. I should have told you. I even went to your house but you weren’t there. And you weren’t at your dads shop.”

 “Mike, breathe,” Steve said returning his hug and nuzzled him gently. “It’s okay. Everything is going to be fine. Now, introduce me.” Steve ignored everyone’s looks of surprise to each other and waited as Mike led El to him. 

 “This is El.” Mike said, grinning at her. “This is Steve, El. He’s a-”

 “Omega,” El breathed out and put her hand on Steve’s cheek.

 “Well, yea,” Mike nodded his head. “But I was going to say, he’s a friend. Of Will and me.”

 “Since when?” Lucas looked at Mike as Dustin nodded his head vigorously.

 “Yea, Mike,” Dustin repeated, crossing his arms. “Since when? I thought friends didn't keep secrets?”

 “Since I got my blood test back, okay?” He turned to them and crossed his arms. Steve and El just looked at him and then each other.

 “His bitch face is pretty epic,” Steve whispered conspiringly, ignoring Hopper and Nancy shout of, ‘Steve’ and Joyce and Jonathan’s laughter. El laughed and stared at him admiringly.

 “Pretty,” she said, finally taking her hand off of him.

 “So are you,” Steve said, smiling down at her as he stood up from his chair. “So what’s the plan?”

 Joyce looked around at them and took in El’s appearance. “Why don’t you go to the bathroom, sweetheart? The boys can fill us in while you get cleaned up. Come on,” she said, holding a hand out for El to take. Everyone watched them go down the hall, except for Lucas and Dustin, who were still arguing with Mike.

“When did you go see him?” Dustin said, glaring in Steve’s direction. “I came by to see you this morning.”

 “This morning, obviously,” Mike rolled his eyes and glared back, shifting between Dustin and Lucas. “Why does this matter, right now?”

 “Okay,” Hopper clapped his hands together. “Let’s move this in to the kitchen and you three explain what’s been happening from your end. Since obviously no one listens to me when I say stay out of it.”

 They all migrated to the kitchen. Mike sat down by Steve, causing Nancy to stare at him, and Dustin and Lucas sat by him. Nancy and Jonathan took back their spots as Joyce came back in and sat down warily.

 Mike turned his glare to Hopper when he stood behind Steve’s chair and put a hand on his shoulder. Hopper raised an eyebrow at him but he just shook his head.

 

“Come on, Mike,” Steve stared at him expectantly. “Quit glaring and tell us what’s been happening.”

 The adults looked at each other after they were done as Nancy and Jonathan sat back stunned. “So Troy wasn’t exaggerating.” Hopper said, crossing his arms.

 “No. But he deserved it!” Dustin shouted, hitting his hands on the table. “He told Mike that if he survived the fall, he would teach him how an omega was suppose to behave. Which is such bullshit because he didn't even know Mike's results.”

 “Oh shit,” Steve looked at Mike and put an arm around him as Hopper and Nancy’s growls echoed through the kitchen. “Just like his brother,” Steve mumbled, causing Hopper to snap his head in his direction.

 Before he could say anything, El walked out and growled. “Bad man hurt you.”

 “No, El,” Mike rushed over to her. “You stopped him.”

 “Not you, Mike,” El nodded her head in Steve’s direction causing everyone to snap to him. He looked at them and stared at the table for a second.

 “So, let’s table this,” he said, standing up and pushing Hopper into his chair, “and talk about how we’re going to fix this. And get Will back.”

 “And Barb,” Nancy quickly reminded them.

 “And Barb,” Joyce repeated and looked at El. “Is there anyway you could reach Will? That you could talk to him in this..”

 “The Upside Down,” El said, while she nodded.

“And Barb?” Nancy stared at her pleadingly. “Can you try to find her and talk to her too?

 El nodded and said, “I just need pictures.”

 “Of them?” Joyce asked. She leaped up at El’s nod, while Jonathan pulled out the picture he had of Barb. El sat at the head of the table, with the radio turned on and closed her eyes. Everyone looked at her, waited with abided breathe.

 The lights flickered once and then came back on as her eyes opened. Steve walked up to her when her scent became clouded with sadness and disheartenment.

 “I’m sorry,” she said softly as Joyce gripped Jonathans hand tight.

 “What does that mean?” She said anxiously.

 “I can’t find them. I’m so sorry,” she said, hands coming up to twist together.

 “Did you use too much power today?” He questioned as he kneeled next to her and put out a calming scent. She nodded. “It’s okay. You saved Mike and flipped a van. It’s not your fault, you have limits. Did they have a way to extend your power?”

 “Yea,” she said softly. “A bath.”

 “Bath,” Steve said, looking at Mike for an answer. “Like a regular bath?”

 “No,” Hopper shook his head. “There was a tank of water by the gate. They used that?”

 He looked at El for confirmation then looked at the kids. “It can’t be regular water, right? Do you know someone who would know how to make something like that?”

 They looked at each other and nodded as Dustin ran to the phone. 

 “We’ll have to leave as soon as he gets an answer,” Steve said softly. Nancy and Jonathan looked at him in confusion, but Steve just focused on Hopper. “If they can plant a bug in your house…”

 “They can be listening in,” Hopper sighed and shook his head.

 “Where can we go?” Joyce asked as she got up and watched Dustin talk on the phone.

 “We’ll wait for his answer,” Hopper said, standing up and walked to Steve and El. “Then we’ll decide from there.”

 Steve gave El a smile and stood up. Nancy looked at him appraisingly, “So you’re the one that’s been helping Mike.”

 "Yea,” Steve said as Mike glared at Nancy.

 “Why does it matter?” Mike said, crossing his arms at her as Dustin sat down and started to write something down.

"It doesn't, Mike," Nancy said, crossing her arms and glaring back. "I was just making conversation."

Mike was stopped from replying as Dustin hung up the phone and looked at Joyce expectantly. “Do you still have that kiddie pool we bobbed for apples in?” Dustin said, looking at Joyce excitingly.

 “I think so.” She looked at Jonathan questioning, who nodded.

 “Good. Then we just need salt. Lots of it,” Dustin looked around with a smile.

 “How much is a lot?” Hopper said, looking at him intently.

 “1,500 pounds,” Dustin said, checking his notes.

 “Jesus,” Steve breathed out leaning in to Hopper, causing Jane to look at them curiously.

 “Well, where are we gonna get much salt?” Nancy asked half-hysterical.

 Hopper looked at the phone and sighed. “I know where. Steve, Joyce, you’re with me. Jonathan, take the kids.”

 “To where exactly?” Nancy asked, hands on her hips.

 “To the school,” Hopper said, grabbing his hat and digging his keys out of his pocket as Joyce and Steve started to follow him out.

 “Wait,” Mike said, glaring at him. “We’ll go,” he pointed to himself and El, “with you.”

 “Fine,” Hopper gritted out, annoyed. “Let’s just go.” He looked at the rest of kids who stared at him. “Now.”

 

 Joyce tried to hide her grin as Mike continued to grill Hopper as the pulled up to the school. Oh she just knew he would give any alpha a run for their money. Especially with the way he had kept eyeing Hopper’s hand on Steve’s thigh.

 “I’m just saying-” Mike stopped as El put her hand on his shoulder.

“Mike, stop.” She said, smiling. “It’s okay.” 

 He gave Hopper one last look before following the rest into the school. Hopper took a deep breath and looked at Steve as they walked to where the de-icing salt was.

 “Holy shit that kid can talk,” Hopper grumbled as he broke the lock on the door and Steve grabbed a cart.

 “He’s a good kid,” Steve said, grunting as he grabbed a bag and threw it to Hopper. “And a little overprotective.”

 “A little,” Hopper said, as they kept working. “He asked me what my intentions were with you and _then_ asked if I thought I deserved you. _Then_ asked how _old_ I am.”

 Steve snorted and shook his head. “I know. I know. But you didn’t _have_ to answer them all. You think that’s enough?”

Steve leaned against the wall and nodded toward the bags of salt they had collected. Hopper walked over to him and put an arm around him.

 “I wanted to.” Hopper said, putting his free had on Steve’s cheek. “You needed to know those answers too.”

 He leaned as Steve wrapped his arms around his shoulders and just as their lips were about to meet, they heard someone clear their throat. Jonathan stood there awkwardly and raised a hand to rub his neck.

 “My mom sent me to help,” he said, looking at the cart they had filled up. “But it looks like you’ve got this.”

 Steve blushed as Hopper took a step back and grabbed the handle and started to pull the cart. “This should be enough.”

 He walked passed Jonathan as Steve followed behind.

 “Wait,” Jonathan said, putting his hands in his pocket. “What if…what if when you find Will,” he shook his head and started over. “What if you…what if you can’t find him in that place? What if you do but that thing is still out there?”

 “Look,” Hopper turned to face him as Steve started pulling the cart giving them privacy. “I’m going to find him, okay? I’m going to find him and bring him back. Don’t worry about that thing. Your mom has enough to worry about. Don’t add to it.”

 Jonathan nodded, taking a second to think as Hopper walked ahead of him.

 

 

“Wait,” Steve said, following Hopper and Joyce outside. Hopper turned to him and glared.

 “You are not coming,” he halfway shouted. He had already lost that fight with Joyce. He’d be damned if he lost it with Steve.

 Steve held his hands up in placidly gesture. “I know. I’m not asking for that.” He reached in his pocket.

 “I grabbed these when I had you stop at my dad’s shop,” he pulled out the bottle and handed it to Joyce. “They’ll fool a blood test. Give one to him as soon as you can. Don’t,” Steve pleaded with her, “let them take blood. It takes two hours to work. Stall until then, just in case.”

 Joyce nodded her and stared down at the pills. “Thank you.”

 She climbed into the truck and Hopper looked at him. “I’ll stay here and make sure we’re prepared.”

 “Prepared for what,” Hopper said, raising an eyebrow as he opened his car door. Steve scoffed and put his hands on his hips as he walked toward him. Steve shut the door and ignored Joyce’s look of bewilderment.

 “I don’t have time for this Steve-”

 “You’ll need leverage. Something they want to get Will back. I’ll make sure the kids aren’t somewhere easily found,” Steve said lowly. Hopper glanced at Joyce and muttered under his breath, ‘fuck it’ and wrapped an arm around Steve and buried his nose in his hair.

 He breathed in deeply and whispered, “No one can know.”

 “I know,” Steve said as he brought their lips together in a chaste kiss and stepped back. “Be safe.”

 “You too,” Hopper said as he climbed in his truck and sped away. Steve stayed where he was until the headlights disappeared and headed in.

 He stared at Nancy and Jonathan as they stood up and looked at him warily. He took in Nancy’s stance and wanted to roll his eyes but just sighed.

 “Barb was your best friend,” Steve mumbled. “I’ll watch your brother and the rest of the brat pack. Go kick some monster ass.”

 Jonathan and Nancy grinned at him and nodded their heads. “It won’t know what hit it.”

 Steve watched them walk away and said a silent prayer. “Joyce is going to fucking kill me.”

 Steve looked at the group of kids and sighed. El had her head on Mike’s shoulder as they looked around dejectedly.

 “Where’s Jonathan and Nancy,” Mike asked as he stood up. Steve looked at the ground and sighed.

 “Steve,” Lucas looked at him with suspicion. “Where did they go?”

 El looked at Steve intently and her eyes widened. “Demogordon,” she breathed out softly.

 “They went after the monster,” Mike said hysterically. Steve walked over to him and put his arms around him. He rubbed his hand up and down his back as Mike started shaking.

 “How can they be so stupid,” Lucas spat out, causing Mike to whirl around and face him.

 “They’re not stupid, Lucas,” Mike crossed his arms and glared.

 “That’s actually kinda cool,” Dustin said, ignoring Lucas’s disbelieving scoff.

 “Yea or suicidal,” Lucas said, standing up as he crossed his arms.

 “Okay, let’s not fight again,” Steve said, putting a hand out. “Let’s go find something. Something to eat while we wait. I bet you are starving,” he direct at El, who nodded slowly.

 “I could go for something. I bet I can find her stash of chocolate pudding,” Dustin rubbed his hands together with a grin and bolted off.

 “Well, okay then,” Steve said and put his arm around Mike’s shoulder and gestured to Lucas and El. “Let’s follow him.”

 As they entered the cafeteria, Steve looked around and felt a pang as Mike and El took a seat. He quickly shut down any thoughts and focused on Dustin’s yelling as Mike tried to explain to El what pudding was. He hid a grin as Mike started fumbling through an explanation of feelings. To be that young again.

 Steve tried to stamp down the guilt that popped up as he stood away from them and looked as El’s confused look turned into joy as Mike leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to her lips. 

Jesus, Steve wanted to wrap the girl in his arms and cuddle her forever. How the hell did you even make someone present _that_ early? Steve’s presenting was rare enough at thirteen. She had been an alpha since 10. Fucking 10.

 At least, you didn’t experience a true rut or heat until normal maturity age. Apparently the lab coats had knocked her out for a whole week because she experienced the aggression that normally came with ruts.

 Poor girl, Steve couldn’t help but think over and over. He looked out the window and sighed. Life really sucked sometimes. And just got worse instead of better.

 “So how exactly did you find out about Mike?” Dustin and Lucas plopped on either side of him, shoveling pudding in their mouths.

 “Um, Will told me,” Steve said softly as he sat down with them.

 “Why?” Lucas said, suspicion replaced curiosity.

 “He needed someone to talk to after his dad took off,” Steve shook his head at the offered pudding cup.

 “Your loss,” Dustin said around a mouth full of pudding.

 “Dude,” Steve wrinkled his nose, “don’t speak with your mouth full.”

 “So how long have you and the chief been together?” Lucas asked and then laughed as Steve started to choke.

 “Excuse me,” Steve coughed out as Mike and El walked over.

 “Yea,” Mike tilted his head toward Steve, “why didn’t you tell us?”

 “Because it’s complicated,” Steve got out between coughs and looked at Mike and smiled at El. “So you said yes to the snowball?”

 Mike turned red and ignored the looks Dustin and Lucas had as he shrugged bashfully. . Headlights came up before anyone could say anything and Steve stiffened.

 “I bet that’s Nancy.” Mike raced out the room and the rest looked at each other. He came running back in as Dustin opened another pudding.

 “Guys.” Mike ran in and panted out. “They found us.”

 Steve looked at the door warily and grabbed Mike’s shoulder. “We need to move. Which way were they headed?”

 They raced out the cafeteria, Steve in the rear and walked briskly and quietly. He ignored their conversation as Dustin looked back at him and said, “Lando” intently.

 Steve looked down and back up as the door in front of them burst open and revealed a group of armed men. “Shit,” he breathed out as they went back the other way and a bigger group cut them off.

 He put himself between them and the kids and stood there silently. He squinted when they didn’t move and blood started pouring from their eyes. He looked at El who’s nose was bleeding as she glared.

 “Right,” Steve said as they all dropped and then El followed. “We need to move now.” He picked her up bridal style and looked at the three kids. “I’ll follow.”

 “I don’t think so,” a voice called as a man with armed guards flanking him appeared from the corner. “I’ll take over from here, omega.”

 “How about no? You must be Dr. Brenner. I’ve heard so much about you.” Steve said, with a smile as he ignored the pheromones the man was putting in the air. He took a step back as the boys stepped in front of him, only for them to be grabbed from behind by more guards.

 Steve bared his omega fangs and narrowed his eyes when one tried to grab him. Brenner looked at him intrigued.

 “It’s curious that you have fangs already. You’re only, what? Nineteen,” Brenner tilted his head as he stepped closer to him and waved off the guard crowding Steve. “Those usually come in five years after you presented.”

Steve shrugged casually and tried to maintain his distance. “They came in early." 

Brenner gave Steve a smirk. "I'm sure something certainly did. Now hand over the girl and we'll get out of your hair. She's dangerous," he looked at the people on the floor. "Obviously." 

Steve shook his head and Brenner snarled. El opened her eyes slowly and said weakly, "Papa." 

Brenner immediately changed his expression into one of comfort and reached a hand out to stroke her head. "Yes. Papa's here." He looked at Steve with contempt as he took a step back. 

"Bad." El grunted out and looked up at Steve, who was snarling as Brenner. "Bad." She reached out for Mike, who struggled harder against the guard holding him. She whimpered as Brenner started releasing a calming pheromone and reached out for her. This time Steve growled low in his throat and let out a warning scent. 

"Don't touch her," Steve gritted out then they all looked up in surprise as the lights started to flicker. Steve eyed the blood on the floor and swallowed hard. "Holy shit." 

"Blood," Mike said, catching on as Steve's scent became fearful. HIs eyes snapped towards the wall as a banging noise sounded as the concrete started to break. Steve breathed out sharply as a creature with no face came out and roared, showing a mouth full of teeth. 

"Oh my god," Steve whispered as Brenner took a step back in surprise. 

"Run" the boys yelled together and they took off down the hallway as the guards started to fire at the thing. Steve was right behind them with El in his arms as Brenner stood rooted in his spot. 

Let him deal with what he unleashed, Steve couldn't help but think as they turned the corner then ran into a classroom. He put El down on the desk and glanced around for a weapon. Of course it was the science room and of course there wasn't anything he could use. He started ransacking the room for anything as Mike ran to El. He didn't want to find out what would happen when those gunshots stopped. He didn't want to find out who was winning. 

He looked at Lucas, who was getting his slingshot ready. "That's all you three took?" 

"What else were we suppose to take?" Lucas shouted hysterically as the noises started to die down outside. They all took a step back as the monster roared. Steve hurriedly grabbed a microscope off the table and ran to stand in front of El. There was silence and they waited with bated breath. 

Steve closed his eyes and prayed to every god he had ever heard of, hoping beyond hope that the government guys had won. 

And then the thing burst threw the door and Lucas let rock after rock fly from his wrist rocket. Which did as much damage as Steve thought it would do. He sent out a spare thought of 'I'm sorry.' as he thought of Jim and wanted to go back and tell him that he forgive him. He wanted more time but as fear stank up the room, he knew what he would have to do. Especially because they were just pissing the thing off more. 

Lucas let the last rock fly in the air and Steve took a step forward, only to see the monster go flying into the way. The boys cheered as Steve turned and noticed El, standing up. She walked past them, eyes focused on her target and pushed Mike away when he tried to stop her. She gave Steve a small nod and focused all her attention on the monster again. 

Steve kneeled down next to Mike wrapped an arm around his shoulder as El whispered goodbye and started to scream. 

When they looked up, she was gone. 

 

Steve looked around the hospital and leaned on Hopper's shoulder, both of them ignoring the looks they were getting, as they whispered to each other softly. 

"So now what?" Steve bit his lip as they waited for news about Will. 

"I don't know." Hopper breathed out in his hair. "I don't know what happens now." 

"Do you think," Steve cut himself off as he glanced towards Mike. 

"I don't know," Hopper chuckled lightly and Steve picked his head up and stared at him softly. 

"We'll figure it out," Steve said, only slightly hesitant. 

"Together," Hopper breathed out and looked at the Lucas and Dustin snoring away. "I wish I could sleep like that." 

Steve snorted as he watched Jonathan walk their way. "Please. You'd be complaining about your neck for a week." 

Hopper watched as the boys got up and motioned to the door with his head. Steve followed his movements and smiled gently as he felt Hopper wrap an arm around his waist. 

They stepped out of the hospital and started walking away when a black car drove up. A man got out and looked at Hopper pointedly and nodded to the back when Steve tried to walk away. 

"He's not coming with us," Hopper growled out and put himself in front of Steve. 

"Don't act like you have a choice, Chief," the man said, with dead eyes. 

"It's fine," Steve said softly and followed Jim as he got into the car. He slide in and watched the hospital fall away from view, Jim's hand coming to intertwined with his. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter primarily focused on Will and the events that led Steve to presenting early. They're not descriptive but rape is talked about at the bottom. It's right when Steve starts talking at the end. Just a warning. And it also explains why Jonathan was so harsh towards Steve. Also, Bob is here for a little bit. Hope ya'll enjoy!!

Hopper and Steve walked into the Byer’s house and took in Will’s form, covered in a thin sheet and surrounded by fans even though the ground outside was blanketed in snow. Mike, Lucas and Dustin looked down at him anxiously whispering among each other.

“Oh, buddy,” Steve sighed and went over to Will as Mike turned and glared at Hopper.

“What is _he_ doing here? She said just you.” He jabbed his finger at Steve. 

“Actually,” Joyce said, giving Mike a look, “I meant both of them. Calm down, Mike.” 

“Ookay,” Hopper said holding his hands up. “I just thought if something was going on,” he looked at Bob superstitiously, "I might be needed.” 

“Well nothing's going on Hop.” Bob said, waving his hands around. “Will’s just sick.” 

“What are you doing here, anyway” Hopper said with suspicion as he raised an eyebrow.

“I was just dropping off some soup for Will. I went by the store to..get something and noticed Joyce wasn’t there,” Bob said with a blush. 

“And now, you can leave, Bob,” Joyce said, smiling at his blush. “Everything’s fine.”

“I thought, maybe, Will would be interested in this movie. It always makes me laugh when I feel sick,” Bob said with an awkward smile directed at Joyce.

“No,” Steve shook his head and took in Will’s trembling form and scent, not even paying attention to the conversations around him. “He’s not sick. You don’t smell it?” He looked at Joyce and Hopper questioningly, who both shook their heads no. 

“Oh, so now you’re a doctor?” Lucas glared at him as Mike turned toward Lucas. 

“Why are you so aggressive towards him?” Mike halfway yelled as he crossed his arms and got in his friends face as Dustin looked between them helpless.

“Not the time, boys,” Joyce muttered and sighed as Bob looked between all of them anxiously.

“No, dipshit,” he rolled his eyes at them and turned his focus on Will. “You’ve been feeling hot for a while, huh? It comes and goes. And some days you can’t eat, which would be understandable with all you’ve went through. But other days you can eat everything and then some?”

Will nodded his head and looked at Steve with wide eyes. “You know what’s happening to me?” 

“Yea, Will,” he looked down then back at him. “You’re presenting already.” 

“Wait,” Mike looked down at Will in wonder. “But that doesn’t happen until…”

“Sixteen or after,” Bob said. “I’ve never heard of that happening. I presented right after my birthday. Not even a day before.” 

“Me neither,” Jonathan muttered from the corner. “It doesn’t make sense.” 

“It can,” Steve said, eyes focused on Will. “When you’ve gone through something traumatic. It has to be really bad though and,” he glanced in Bob’s direction, “getting lost in with woods for a week would count.” 

He held up a hand to keep everyone from talking, “And we know what your blood test said…” 

“So I’m a beta, right? I”m not…” Will looked up hopefully but quickly looked down at Steve’s shake. 

“No,” Steve shook his head as everyone else looked at Will and Joyce put her hand over her mouth. “You’re an omega, Will. Just like me. Your fever would have died out earlier and you’d be back to normal. When you present as an omega early, it takes a few days to a couple of weeks for your body to balance out again.” 

“No,” Will shook his head in denial. “I can’t be. They don’t make suppressants for under 16 and I haven’t started..” He trailed off as his face heated up. 

“Yea,” Lucas spat out and glared at Steve. “How do you even know that’s what’s happening? He could just be,” he looked at Bob, “sick from being in the woods for so long.” 

“That doesn’t make sense,” Bob muttered to Joyce. “He shouldn’t still be sick from the woods.” 

“Bob, why are you even here?” Mike spat out and ignored Joyce’s shout. “You shouldn’t be here. You need to leave.” 

“He was being nice, Mike. And he's already heard enough.” Joyce gritted out and glared. “Stop being a brat.” 

Steve just looked at them and then at the floor in hesitation. He took a deep breath and sighed as he walked to the couch and kneeled in front of Will.

“I know because I found out I was an omega at 13 when I was in the seventh grade,” he took Will’s hand gently. “I’m the one that gave your mom those pills you took at the hospital. You won’t feel anything but a fever until you officially reach maturity. The only thing that will change is your scent, which the pills will cover.”

“And,” Steve interrupted him, “you won’t have to worry about a blood test either. I still have the doctors number,” he looked at Joyce. “He’s discreet.”

“I mean, when we got the results it was such a small chance,” Joyce muttered at Bob’s look of surprise. “There’s not any omegas in either mine or Lonnie’s family. I didn’t actually think it would happen.” 

Steve shrugged but rolled his eyes at Lucas, who was still glaring at him. “Why the hell are you still glaring at me? Jesus, kid.” 

“How do we know you aren’t lying?” Lucas said, crossing his arms and standing up to tower over Steve. Lucas turned his glare to Dustin, who closed his mouth and didn’t look at Mike, who was puffing up in indignation. “Just because he helped us that one time doesn’t mean he can be trusted.” 

Jonathan just looked at Will wide-eyed as a growl went through the room. Everyone turned their attention to Hopper, who crossed his arms as he stalked over to Lucas and Steve. Lucas wavered for a second but stood his ground. 

“Why would he lie about this?” Hopper said, teeth grinding together. Steve reached up and softly grabbed his hand as he made a soothly sound from the back of his throat. He focused his attention back on Will.

“I know this is scary but it will be okay,” Steve purred lightly from his chest and put his arms around Will. He tightened his grip when he felt tremors going through Will’s body. 

“Why did you..” Will trailed off as he looked down. 

“Something happened,” Steve swallowed and took a seat on the couch. Hopper followed and put a hand on his leg, rubbing with his thumb for comfort. “Something bad. I didn’t even know what was going on until my dad noticed my scent changing about two weeks after I had the fever. He took me to the Indianapolis center for omegas and the rest is history.” 

“How much do they cost?” Joyce asked, hands on her mouth as Will looked downcast.

“Nothing,” Steve shrugged at her look of astonishment. “The center pays for them and gives them to you. They’ll be put in a bottle labeled something for a vitamin deficiency and there won’t be any record that Will was even there.” 

“Is this even legal,” Bob asked from beside Joyce, looking at Steve suspiciously. 

“It is,” Steve nodded. “They don’t like _certain people_ to know when an omega presents early. It’s not like you have to register as an omega, Bob. They just help insure that you get to lead a normal life.” 

“Hmm,” Joyce murmured. “When will you be able to call the doctor?” 

She ignored Bob’s look of confusion and focused on Steve. No one had forgotten how the Chief’s place had been bugged. 

“I already did,” he shrugged at Joyce’s look. “There’s a code you can use when you call. I heard my dad using it when I was about to run out one time.” 

“And if someone overheard this conversation?” Hopper raised his eyebrow as Steve’s hand intertwined with the hand he had left resting on his leg. 

“It would sound like I was asking for something else. Will has to go to Indianapolis eventually,” Steve said with a sigh. “But it doesn’t have to go now. They’re willing to wait until the fever subsides.” 

“But won’t that be suspicious. Will can’t just show up ,” Lucas asked, eyeing the chief warily when his head snapped up to turn in his direction. 

“Hop, stop.” Steve rolled his eyes and leaned in closer to him to calm him. “And no, because you’ll be going with me. I have to go for my yearly check up so they’ll just check you out. Not like you’re going to school until after the new year, right?” 

“Yea,” Jonathan nodded as he stood up. “He doesn’t have to go back until after the new year, so can I go? I know I shouldn’t have said what I said that day but-”

“It’ll be too suspicious,” Joyce took in Jonathan’s look of betrayal and shrugged helplessly. “You know it will be. We can’t all go.” 

“She’s right, kid,” Hopper said and sighed when Jonathan glared at him. 

“Oh, so I guess you’re not going then?” Jonathan said as he stared Hopper down. The boys just looked at him in disbelief and Bob took a forward, trying to be the calming presence as Joyce was looking frazzled.

Steve just rolled his eyes and shared a look with Will, who shook his head. 

“Why shouldn’t I go?” Hopper stood up and looked him expectantly. 

“Maybe because it will be suspicious. Like how the chief isn’t needed for a _nineteen year old omega’s_ check up,” Jonathan spat out as he took a step closer. 

Joyce went over and got in between them and gave Jonathan a look. He shrugged off her hand and crossed his arms. 

“If you can go, I can.” 

“No, you can’t,” Hopper ground out as Steve stood up and placed a hand on his shoulder. 

“I hate to cut in,” Bob said, holding up his hands when everyone turned and looked at him, more than half glaring, “but, and I don’t get _why_ it has to be so secretive, it does seem kinda suspicious, Jim.” 

“You got something else to say, Bob?” Hopper turned his stare on him. Steve just sighed. 

“I mean, I’m pretty sure everyone in town knows you two are,” he made hand gestures, “,you know. But I just don't think it-” 

“Are what, Bob,” Hopper cut him off with a glare. 

“Are fucking,” Jonathan shouted and ignored Joyce’s shout and the kids wide-eyes. “What, mom? Everyone knows because they’re not hiding it anymore. Not that they were hiding that well anyway. And just because they are doesn’t mean he should get to go. You’d,” he shifted to go around Joyce and put a finger to Hopper’s chest, “draw more attention than me.” 

Steve shut his eyes as a growl rumbled through the room. He looked at Mike, who was glaring at Jonathan, and looked at Bob who was giving him an inquisitive look. He stepped in between Hopper and Joyce as he wrapped an arm around Hoppers neck. 

“Let’s go home, okay?” Steve said, using his other hand to turn his face towards him. “Please. Let’s go home and let everyone cool down.” 

Hopper took one last look at Jonathan and nodded. Giving everyone a nod before walking out. 

Steve looked at Jonathan silently for a moment before he started to follow him. He turned around and said softly, “You can’t keep using me as an excuse to get mad at him. You can’t keep using my _age_ as a reason to distrust him. We didn’t do _anything_ until I was over eighteen.” 

He gave Mike a hug and nodded to Lucas and Dustin. He gave Will a soft smile then turned to Joyce. “I’ll come by later and go over everything else,” 

He leaned in closer to her, “Make sure he doesn’t say anything.” He looked in Bob’s direction pointedly.

Joyce nodded and he went to Hopper’s truck.

 

“He was right, you know,” Hopper looked down at Steve, who had his head on his shoulder. He turned off the t.v. and ran his hand through Steve’s hair before he sighed. “Everyone knows. Not a lot of people have said anything but..” 

“But what?” Steve said, sitting up and looking at him anxiously. 

“I just mean, you know how this town talks and I see the looks I get. It hasn’t affected when I’m on the job, thank god. Either I get congratulations or a lecture about how I have an image to up hold,” Hopper snorted as Steve laughed lightly. 

“No offense,” Steve said as he climbed into Hopper’s lap and wrapped his arms around his neck, “but I’m pretty sure you gave your donut habit more attention before and _everyone_ knew.” 

Hopper looked at Steve with mock offense. “Excuse me. I’ll have you know that I take gnomes disappearing from gardens very seriously. It gets my full attention,” he said, smiling as he put both hands on Steve’s hips. 

“Yeah?” Steve raised his eyebrow. “I think old man Johnson was still complaining about that today.” 

“He complains when I do my job and when I don’t,” Hopper grumbled as he started to rub his hands up and down Steve’s sides. He leaned forward and started placing light kisses up and down Steve’s neck, paying close attention to his scent gland. God, he could never get over how good he smelled. 

He smelled like the air just before it was going to rain and fresh cut lavender. He ate it up as he brushed it with his nose and nipped softly at it, causing Steve to moan out and tighten his arms. 

“Do you care what they say,” Steve asked curiously, causing Hopper to leaned back. Steve worried his lip between his teeth and looked at him troubled. 

“No,” Hopper said, hands going up to cup Steve’s face, gently rubbing his thumbs against his cheeks. “Let them talk. I just don’t want anything to reflect badly on you.” 

Steve snorted and shook his head, smiling tenderly. “This whole town talked bad about me when I wasn’t on suppressants. Then again when that dumb alpha in high school ran around and told everyone we had sex. I’m use to it.” 

“You shouldn’t be though,” Hopper gave him a gentle kiss. 

“Hmm,” Steve leaned in closer. "Besides for every person in this town who dislikes me, there's three who love me. It's fine. 

 He started to gently rub up and down Steve’s side and nuzzled lightly at his neck. He kissed Steve on the lips and and rubbed a circle in his hip with his other hand, enjoying the way Steve could read what he wanted just by the tilt of his head. 

The kiss deepened until Hopper’s hand started to go under Steve’s shirt. Steve slapped his hand away and slid off his lap and took up his previous position, acting as if nothing had happened.

“Steve,” Hopper said and would forever deny that it was a whine. He was a grown man, damnit and he didn’t whine, not even when he was being punished by someone he hoped would one day be his omega. 

“Jim,” Steve said as he reached around him and turned back on the t.v. “Is there something you want?” 

His casual tone made Hopper want to growl and grovel at the same time. 

“I just think…” Hopper trailed off when Steve started glaring at the t.v.

“Think that you’ve been punished enough for lying to me?” He raised an eyebrow as he lifted his head from his shoulder. “Because I’m not punishing you, Jim. I just don’t trust you fully yet.” 

Hopper sighed and pushed Steve’s head back on his shoulder. “I know and I deserve it.” 

“Yes, you do,” Steve said as he turned up the t.v. volume. “Glad you agree.” 

He laid on arm across Steve’s shoulder and rubbed up and down his arm. At least, he still had this and he let out a rumble of contentment as Steve snuggled closer. This was nice but..

“So do you have a timetable for when-”

“Shut up, Hopper.” 

___________________________________________________________________________

Jonathan stared out the window as the scenery passed as Will and his mom talked to each other excitedly. He could still feel Hoppers stare when he pulled up. Not that Hopper was paying him any attention now. He was too focused on the conversation he was having with Steve, but that still didn’t stop Jonathan from tapping on his knees nervously. 

“So, your dad’s sure about it?” Hopper asked for the second time causing Jonathan to roll his eyes inwardly. 

Steve shook his head at Hopper but still turned and gave him his full attention. “Yes, Jim. For the third time. He is sure about it.” 

“And Benny’s family?” 

“They’re okay with it, especially because he’s going to keep Benny’s Burgers as the name.” Steve said as he reached over and put a hand on Hoppers leg. He rested his head on the seat and stared at Hopper fondly. Jonathan couldn’t even remember seeing his mom and dad look at each other like that when he was a kid. 

“What happened to expanding in Indianapolis?” Hopper asked as he lit another cigarette and rolled down the window. “I thought it was going good.” 

“It was,” Steve sighed and shook his head, “until my mom got involved.” 

“I thought that they weren’t together,” his mom interrupted and caused Will’s attention to turn to the couple up front. Jesus, he loved Steve. All he was talking since even before the upside down stuff was how amazing Steve was and how great Steve was. 

“They aren’t but they’re still bonded. So she got involved, probably for spite and in fell through.” His mom’s eyes widened in surprise. 

“I never thought they were that serious,” she said in wonder. 

Hopper snorted but stopped when Steve hit when on the arm. “They weren't. Besides being bonded didn’t stop them from having affairs.”

Jonathan looked up in surprise but his mom just nodded her head. “Yeah, I heard about those. Makes it even more surprising that they’d take each other’s mark.” 

Steve snorted, “I’m sure everyone heard about those. It was a business deal.” 

“What,” Hopper’s head snapped to Steve in surprise. 

“Look at the road, Jim,” Steve halfway shouted as he reached over and batted at Hopper’s face with his hands. “That’s so dangerous. Are you trying to cause a wreck?” 

Hopper held up his hands for a minute but quickly put them back on at Steve's indignant yell, looking in the mirror to smirk at his mom. She hid a smile behind her hand and looked at Steve, who looked between them with narrowed eyes. 

“Not funny, Hop,” he shook his head, but didn’t turn back to face the front. “But yeah, my mom’s dad wouldn’t let them marry if my dad refused to claim her completely. But if he did, he would give him enough money to start his own business.”

Jonathan tried to keep up with the conversation but his attention focused on Steve, who had intertwined his fingers with Hopper’s once he had thrown his cigarette out the window. He didn’t want to admit it to anyone but he was jealous. 

Jealous of Steve and he was trying hard not to be jealous of Will because it made guilt fester up inside of him. It’s not like he wanted to be an omega he just wanted to be someone’s most cherished person in the world and everyone knew alphas rarely went for betas. 

He wanted someone who gravitated to him the way the chief did Steve. No matter how close or far away from each other they were, he always had his body turned in Steve’s direction. He wanted someone who would protect him and ignore all the bad things people said about him. 

He felt worse when he thought about the words he had spat out when Will was missing, especially knowing the Steve was the only reason the chief agreed with him coming along. Something he made sure Jonathan knew. He shouldn’t have said those things, but he was angry. 

He was angry that his brother was missing, possibly dead and his mom had allowed his dad to come back home, even if that didn’t last. He had been so angry that when he had seen Steve walking in with the chief and his mom, he had instantly remember what his mom had said the first day Will was missing. 

_So while my son’s missing, you’re out having sex with some omega?_

And it just had to be the omega Will and everyone else in the town flocked to. Either you didn’t approve of Steve Harrington or you were impressed by him. He sighed as he turned his gaze back to the passing roadside.

 

He gave Will a reassuring smile as they walked into the Indianapolis Omega Center. He shrugged  at Will’s confusion when Hopper went up to the front desk and started to fill out paperwork but they were waved on and went right in through the doors and into the hallway. 

“We don’t have to check in,” his mom asked looking at Steve for direction as they passed by two elevators before finally stopping in front of one that was farther away.

“No,” he leaned against the wall by the elevator. “Only alphas have to check in at the front. We’ll go to the fourth floor after he’s done.” 

“Why only alphas,” Will asked, walking away from Jonathan and copied Steve’s stance. 

“Because this is a safe place for omegas and some, especially those on the second floor, don’t respond well to alphas. This elevator,” he pointed to the one they were about to get on, “doesn’t even opened to the second one.” 

“Oh,” his mom nodded in understanding, “but we don’t have to right,” she pointed to herself and him.

“No,” Steve shook his head. “Your both betas, even though your sense of smell is stronger than most.” 

“Is yours as strong as your mom’s,” he looked at Jonathan curiously. 

“Um, no. I mean,” Jesus why the hell was he so nervous, “sometimes. I mean I can’t smell the change in Will, but I can smell when your scent changes.” 

“Hmm,” Steve straightened up as Hopper walked around the corner. “Makes sense. Your scent gets stronger the longer it’s been since you’ve presented, but only if you’re an alpha or omega. It’s why when Hopper’s mad everyone within a thirty mile radius can smell it.” 

He grinned cheekily at Hopper, who rolled his eyes. Jonathan snorted as Will laughed. His mom just shook her head and hid a grin. 

“So this doctor is a beta?” His mom asked as they climbed into the elevator. 

“No,” Steve said as he pushed the button to the fourth floor. “He’s an alpha.” 

“Wait, but you just said alphas couldn’t go on the second floor,” Jonathon turned and looked at Steve. 

“Yes, but he’s on the fourth floor and wears scent dampeners, just like the ones they gave Hop at the front desk,” Steve said as he reached into Hopper’s pant pocket and pulled out a bright red lanyard that identified him as an alpha. “You have to wear this, even though no one can smell you.” 

He shook his head at Hopper as he put in around his neck. “You’re the chief of police, you should be setting the example for everyone.” 

“I was going to put in on,” Hopper rolled his eyes as he leaned in closer to Steve.

“Right,” Steve rolled his eyes. “That’s why you took it off and crammed it into your pocket as soon as you ” 

“I don’t like things around my neck,” he grumbled and Jonathan couldn’t believe his eyes. He would have never pegged the chief as the type to pout/

“Oh, you poor alpha, you. Suck it up,” Steve smiled at him and walked out the elevator as it opened. The rest of them followed him out and sat down in the direction he motioned as he went to the front desk. 

Jonathan looked around and noticed that there were omegas of all ages, which he should have expected. It was still surprising for him though, considering Hawkins mostly had matured omegas. Most parents sent their kids to the school thirty minutes away that was just for omegas. But he noticed that none of them were as young as Will. 

He also noticed the looks the other alphas in the room gave Hopper as Steve sat next to him and leaned closer when he put an arm over Steve’s chair as he started to fill out paperwork. And just another reason for the green eyed monster to come out. No one would ever look take a look at him and be jealous of his partner.  

He rolled his eyes at himself and waved off his mom’s look of concern. Now was not the time to turn into a dick.

“Harrington,” a nurse called from the door across the room after they sat in the silence of the waiting room for thirty minutes. 

Steve stood up with a sigh and motioned for them to follow him through. Huh, Jonathan was surprised that no one even blinked at the group the followed him. Maybe _not_ every person without the lanyard was an omega. 

Jonathan traded looks with his mom when they kept going down the hall and bypassed empty exam rooms. They were lead into a room that was the size of the waiting room they were in before and contained everything from a scale to a machine that looked like the ones they used to test Will’s blood at the hospital.  

“So this is how no one finds out,” Hopper nodded to himself as the nurse motioned for Will to follow Steve’s example and get on the scale. 

“Hi, sweetheart. My name’s Beverly, but you can call me Bev, okay,” she said softly as she smiled at Will. She was a beta with graying hair but a cheerful disposition. 

“Hi, I’m Will,” Will said as he looked around nervously at the machines. 

“I know this is scary, honey. But you’ll be okay. Dr. Jameson will get you set up and life won’t be much different, isn’t that right Steve?” She motioned for Steve to back her up as she got the rest of Will’s measurements. 

“Yup,” he said as he ignored the exam table and plopped down in a chair. “Everything will be just fine.” 

“Now, we’ll need to take blood,” she said and thumbed through the paperwork Steve had handed her. Jonathan narrowed his eyes when he noticed it contained all of Will’s information. 

“Now, you didn’t take any suppressants like we instructed, correct? And the scent block didn’t give you adverse side effects?” She completely ignored everyone else in the room and focused solely on Will. 

“Umm, no. They were fine,” Will nodded shyly as he stood in the middle of the room and fidgeted with his sleeves as he eyed the exam table nervously. 

“You can sit by Steve, sweetheart. You won’t need to hop on there until you ‘officially’ present,” she pulled out a chair and rolled it in front of him when he sat down. 

“And how long did your fever last?” 

Will looked at his mom and looked down, “A few days after I left the hospital.” 

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner baby,” Joyce stared at Will in shock as she went to sit down by him and picked up one of his hands. “It means he had the fever for two weeks.” 

“I don’t know,” Will mumbled, “I just thought..” 

“You thought it was a side effect of being in the woods,” the nurse continued when he nodded. “It happens. Most don’t realize what’s going on because the fever comes and goes. When it’s about to be over, that’s when the fever becomes unbearable.” 

“Oh, it was,” Will said as he nodded. “Jonathan, my brother,” he pointed in his direction, “had to go buy more fans.” 

“Believe me, when this one presented,” the nurse pointed at Steve, “we had to turn on the a/c in his room to fifty degrees. And even then, he was still complaining. How long did you spend here again?” She looked at Steve questioningly. 

“I think,” Steve paused, “it was three weeks.” 

“That does sound right,” She nodded. “The blood test will check your blood for anomalies and we’ll check your hormone level. We’ll take blood for _both_ of you and then the doctor will come in and do Steve’s exam while we wait for the results. Then he’ll go over everything okay?”

“Okay,” Will nodded softy and held out his shaking arm. The nurse gave him a gentle smile and then moved on to Steve.  

“So I’ll just pop these in and then go get the doctor,” she smiled and left. 

“After this we’ll have to make an appointment to see..the other people,” Joyce said softly, hadn’t tightening around Will’s hand. 

“And we’ll be there every step of the way,” Hopper said, motioning toward himself and Steve as he finally took a seat. 

“How do you know that you can even trust them,” Jonathan whispered angrily. 

Before Hopper could answer him, a knock came in and the doctor walked in. He was a couple of inches shorter than Hopper and had a slender build, a type of build Jonathan had never seen in an alpha. 

“Steve,” he smiled and shook his hand. He turned to Will next and held out his hand, “You must be Will. How are you?”

“Um, good,” Will said, looking at him wide-eyed. At least Jonathan wasn’t the only one thrown off by his cheerful attitude and appearance. 

“That’s good to hear,” he said with a smile and introduced himself to his mom and Hopper. “So I’ll need all of you to exit the room for this part of the exam.” 

“Wait,” Hopper said, giving him a look of anger, “the nurse said Will wouldn’t need-”

“Will doesn’t,” Dr. Jameson said calmly, ignoring the posturing Hopper was doing. “Steve does, which I'm also sure the nurse mentioned. I’ll show you to our break room while Steve gets ready.” 

Steve waved them off and sighed when Hopper’s feet stayed rooted to the floor as he crossed his arms. “You can stay, Jim. No one else.” 

“Are you sure?” Dr. Jameson asked Steve as he walked the group out. 

“Yes,” Steve nodded and as the door closed Jonathan saw him give Hopper a smile that was breathtakingly soft and understanding. 

 

“Sorry about the wait,” Dr. Jameson said as the nurse walked them back into the room. Steve was sitting on a chair with Hopper right next to him, hands intertwined. 

“It’s fine,” his mom said softly as she and Will sat down, while Jonathan stayed standing, arms crossed. 

“So, I need to ask first if it’s okay that Steve and Hopper are in the room?” At Will’s nod, he continued. “I need to ask you a question, okay? And if you want everyone to leave to answer that’s fine too. You understand?” 

“Yea,” Will nodded as one hand reached out for his mom and the other for Steve. 

“It’ll be okay, bud,” his mom smiled reassuringly as Steve rubbed his hand with is thumb. 

“So, I know that you were missing, right? For a week in the woods?” Jameson said as he looked down at the paper.

“Yes,” Will said softly. 

“Now, I’m sure the chief has asked you this and everyone else. I need to know the truth, okay? Even if it’s different than what you told them, understand,” At Will’s confused nod, the doctor continued. “Was there anyone else there with you?” 

“No,” Will shook his head and tried to contain his tremors. “But it was cold. Cold and dark for the most part.” 

“Is this really necessary?” Jonathan looked at the doctor with a glare. 

“Yes, it is. I need to know that you weren’t forced by anyone to do anything.” Dr. Jameson looked at Will with reassurance. 

“You mean..” Joyce trailed off in surprise. 

“if I was raped?” Will asked, eyes going even wider. At the doctors nod, he vigorously shook his head. “No, I wasn’t. I just got lost and the woods and couldn’t find my way home and..” 

He trailed off trying not to cry. 

“I’m sorry for upsetting you,” Dr. Jameson smiled with regret. “I just needed to know incase, you’d need to stay on one of the other floors for a time.” 

“So he has to stay?” His mom bolted up from her seat. “No one said he’d have to stay.” 

“No,” the doctor rushed to assure her. “He won’t have to stay, Mrs.Byers. He’d have to stay up to three weeks if he had been raped. But since he hasn’t he won’t have too.” 

Jonathan could feel every shred of regret and guilt double and triple as he remembered the conversation Steve had had with the nurse. _I think it was three weeks_. By the way Hopper and his mom tensed up, he wasn’t the only one. 

“So, now that that’s out of the way. I went through your blood work while you were in the break room. There is a slight deficiency in essential vitamins but I believe that would be expected right now. I’m sure your doctor in Hawkins provided you something but the ones I’m giving you are strictly for omegas. You’ll need to take with twice daily, okay?” 

He motioned to one of the pill bottles that he had on the tray. “These are your suppressants, which you can take for up to three months. Now, you’ll have to come off of them once those three months is up. It’s to allow your body and scent glands to grow and develop. You will experience some pain around the time of what should be your heat, even while on the suppressants, as your body rushes to catch up with your secondary gender, so there's also some pain relievers.”

Jonathan stared at the pills with wide eyes as the doctor continued to go on and explain. When he was finished, his mom and Will both looked frazzled and worried. Until the doctor told them it was free. 

"Completely free,” his mom stuttered out as relief washed through her. 

“Yes,” he nodded and left it at that before turning his attention to Steve, “and now it’s your turn. Same question. Would like anyone to leave?”

“No,” Steve had been silent throughout the whole process. “It’s fine.” 

“So, you’ll need to change your birth control pills again,” Dr. Jameson said, causing Steve’s eyes to snap to him. “Your blood work is back and that enzyme is going up again. You’ll need to wait two weeks to start the new pills I’m prescribing you.” 

“Wait, what’s wrong with him,” Hopper said, hand tightening on Steve’s so hard, he let out a small whimper. Hopper loosened his grip but kept his eyes on the doctor. 

“There’s an enzyme that can get passed on through the gene pool when an omega has an alpha parent. If Steve enzyme levels go up to dangerous levels, then he could stop going into heats and go into what for women would be considered menopause. Some medicates can make it go up, which is why he comes in every three months. It also means,” he gave Steve a pitying look, "we're going to have to test your fertility again. I'm worried that with these 

 

Jonathan looked at his mom and Will when they finally got home from the most awkward car ride . He was just thankful to be out of the car because Hopper’s scent instantly filled the car when the scent blockers wore off; it had caused everyone but Steve to roll down their windows. 

And Steve’s scent made Jonathan want to curl up in a ball and get on his knees and beg for forgiveness all at the same time. It was the scent of an omega preparing for rejection. 

“I hope they work it out,” Will said as he put his bag on the floor and looked at his mom and Jonathan.

“Me too, buddy,” their mom said as she rubbed the top of his head.

“At least we’re out of that car,” Jonathan said with a grimace. “Hopper’s scent as always been strong but jesus.” 

“I know,” Will said with wide eyes as he looked at his mom than at Jonathan. “Did you smell it too?” 

“Yes, I did. Unfortunately.” Jonathan added causing Will and Joyce to laugh. 

But all their thoughts kept circling back to the alpha and omega who had both been eerily quiet the whole ride back. 

“I haven’t seen Hopper’s eyes flash red since high school graduation when he got into a fight,” their mom said softly. 

“So I wasn’t imagining it,” Jonathan leaned back. 

“I thought every alpha’s eyes could do that,” Will looked at his mom curiously. “They told us that in health class.” 

“No,” Joyce shook her head.  “Only _very_ strong alphas can. And Hop has a _lot_ of control so I’ve only ever seen him to it purposefully."

 

Steve was hopeful when Hopper didn’t just drop him off at his house and instead went to his trailer, but that didn’t stop his instincts from wanting him to bare his neck and apologize. That didn’t stop him from wanting to just ran away and never have this conversation. But instead of doing any of that, he followed Hoppers lead and went inside the trailer. 

As he took off his coat, he looked up to take a glance in Hopper’s direction and almost flinched when Hopper popped up in front of him. He grabbed Steve by his arm and pulled in in his arms gently, as he put his head down and nudged at Steve’s scent gland. 

Steve returned the embrace whole heartedly and didn’t bother to stifle the whine that had been lodged in his throat since they left Indianapolis. He closed his eyes and nuzzle Hopper’s gland and almost cried from relief when the tension, anger, and something he couldn’t quite place left Hopper’s scent. 

“I’m not mad at you, Steve. I'm mad that _that_ happened to you and I want to kill the person that did that hurt you.” He let out a rumble as he pulled away only enough to look at Steve in the eyes. “And I’m not going to ask what happened. I’m here if you need to talk but that’s not something you have to tell me. And the kid thing, I don't know if I will ever want another kid, but we'll cross the bridge together, Steve. We'll get through all this _together_.” 

Steve couldn’t help it. He started sobbing as his body gave out in relief. He would have fallen to the floor harshly if Jim hadn’t been holding him. Instead, Jim slowly sank to his knees and just rubbed his back as he continued crying. 

“It’s okay,” Hopper said, as he kissed Steve’s head. “It’ll be okay.” 

They stayed like for what seemed like hours until Hopper slowly started to stand them up and walked Steve to the couch. Instead of sitting in his lap like Hopper had planned, Steve sat down and motioned for Hopper to lay down. 

Once they were situated, Steve started to slowly rub Hoppers head, taking in comfort as he could feel the last of the tension drain out of Hoppers form. Then Steve began to talk. 

“My best friend and I had went to birthday party. It was just a normal birthday party for a thirteen year old, but then the parents left the basement and someone had snuck in some of their dad’s liquor. I didn’t have any but my friend had a lot. We were suppose to stay at my house but his was closer and I was practically carrying him.” 

Steve paused as his voice got softer and on a far away quality. “His older brother was home and helped me get him into bed. I was just going to leave when he asked if I wanted to go in his room and listen to music.” 

“My dad blames himself because he never taught me to be wary of an alpha. He thinks that if he hadn’t raised me like I was going to be an alpha, nothing would have happened. But it would have because I…” 

"You trusted him,” Hopper finished softly, but stayed still, sensing that Steve needed to get it the rest out.” 

“I did. It’s not like the guy cared what my secondary gender was suppose to be. I was just an easy target. And it’s not like..It's not like he was overly violent. I said no and I know it was… It was rape, but he was almost gentle so it was confusing. So I went home and didn’t tell anyone. I thought I was getting sick from walking home in the cold when I first got the fever.” 

“But then it got worse. And one day my dad came home and took one sniff and knew. He had to force my mom back in the car and he took me to the center. My mom didn’t even react when I told them in the car what happened,” Steve trailed off.

"I had never seen him that mad and when I told him who, he had to stop the car. It was already snowing but he didn’t care. He stayed outside until he could calm himself. It didn’t help that my mom didn’t even react. She just sat in the front seat like a statue.” 

“When we got to the center, Dr. Jameson was the doctor on call. They tried to get someone else, even he tried calling but it was almost Christmas so no one answered. My dad was ready to throw a fit, but he had such a calming presence. Plus, his build is very unassuming. He even let my dad stay in the exam room.” 

“I ended up staying on the third floor because I wanted to keep him as my doctor and my dad wanted to stay with me. He stayed in this comfortable chair the whole time. I realized that he had loved me in his own way, he just didn’t know how to be a dad, you know. But he was exactly what I needed then. This presence that wasn't too there and yet not too absent. My mom…she left when they were doing the exam. She never came back.” 

“My dad was furious with her and with the..well you know. By the time we got out though, he didn’t have enough money to ran off the whole family like he wanted to and he had to focus on the divorce and losing his business. So he involved the chief before you. He told him just about the rape, not the aftereffects. Troy’s oldest brother Bret was made to leave town to go live with his dad. He had lied and said there was evidence. His middle brother, Phil, my best friend just avoided me. The one time he tried to say something about it, Danford, one of our mutual friends then, broke his nose.” 

"For a long time, I thought I had lost everything. And made everything worse for my dad, the only one that stayed for me." Steve's voice trailed off as he looked down at Hopper, fear still present in his face.

Hopper moved at that and pulled Steve into his arms, rage locked away tightly.  But after, when Steve was curled up in bed surrounded by Hopper’s scent, he grabbed the axe. And if he chopped enough wood to get them through ten winters and he could barely move his arms in the morning, that was just fine. 

And when he got to work and put in a call to make sure Bret wasn’t anywhere near Hawkins, well he was just doing his job. Especially when he warned the rest of his officers that he was dangerous and wasn’t to put a foot in Hawkins. 


End file.
